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{
    "id": 393004,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/393004/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 217,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Zani",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13119,
        "legal_name": "Agnes Zani",
        "slug": "agnes-zani"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, for Kilifi County, there is the issue of delayed transfer of functions and this is an issue that is affecting all counties. There is also need for civic education and that is an issue that we have talked about over and over. For people to effectively participate, they must understand what the Constitution and devolution is all about. Therefore, measures need to be put in place as quickly as possible. The inter-connectivity between the Senate and the county assemblies is key, and this has been explicitly stated by Members of the Kilifi County Assembly. They need the support of the Senate. We need to create clear mechanisms so that we can quickly get messages from the Senate to the County Assembly and vice versa . When this is effected, issues can be quickly addressed and we can know what is affecting the counties. Madam Temporary Speaker, the understanding of the bicameral system has also been brought out. They need to be trained and also go out to other counties. The Committee on Education, Information and Technology has just come back from Rwanda, which is one of the countries that have successful bicameral systems where both Houses are able to interact and discuss how Bills move from one House to another with a lot of cordiality. Those are places that we should take members of the county assembly. Sometimes I think Kenya has come from a background which is a little bit rife in terms of violence and we think about violence and fighting as a way to get out of so many problems and this cannot get us anywhere. Therefore, people need to be educated about the bicameral system in order to understand what it is all about, and also understand the mandate of the different players. They also need to understand the different organs and their respective roles. We should also come up with minimum standards of how people can be protected. We can actually enhance security in the process and make things possible. Madam Temporary Speaker, let me again commend the two committees that came up with these key recommendations. The issue of assets and liabilities again came up. We need to ensure that the distribution of assets within the country is not biased in such a way that the assets end up with the national Government leaving the counties with nothing. In fact, an audit of assets and liabilities is long overdue in all the counties so that what accrues to the national Government should be taken there and what accrues to the county government is also taken there. In the same vein, the issue of employment and deployment of staff from the national Government to the county governments should be done in manner that ensures that it is not only the best people who are retained by the national Government but expertise should actually be devolved downwards. This should be done in a calculated way to ensure that all counties end up with appropriate personnel who can spur those counties to the next level of development. Even when deployment is done, there should be an audit of skills so that the exercise is done in a very fair way. Madam Temporary Speaker, the counties also need to consider the public-private partnership models so that they can utilise them and come up with models for raising revenue in those counties. They should come up with county integrated development plans which will work in those specific counties. They should look at what is envisaged in Vision 2030 in those particular counties comparing with what the National Treasury The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}