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{
    "id": 397012,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/397012/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 240,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Billow",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 260,
        "legal_name": "Billow Adan Kerrow",
        "slug": "billow-kerrow"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. You have made a good ruling using the powers conferred on you by the Standing Orders. I want to take this chance to thank all Senators who have contributed to this Motion and given their views. There are a number of issues we have raised and I want to respond to some of them very specifically. I want to draw the attention of Senators to Section 17(7) of the Public Finance Management Act which provides that the national Treasury shall prepare its schedule for cash disbursement in consultation with the Inter- Governmental Budget and Economic Council. We, as the Senate, are required by the Public Finance Management Act to consider our report, but more importantly, to approve the County Governments Cash Disbursement Schedule for the fiscal year 2013/2014. That is the essence of this Motion. Senators have raised a number of pertinent points particularly with regard to accountability by county governments. County governments need to be transparent and to utilise money prudently, avoid wastage and enhance efficiency. All those things are very critical. The issue of corruption with regard to procurement is important. On the issue of revenue collection that Senators have raised, county governments are not only supposed to be dependent on revenue allocated to them. They are also supposed to raise their own revenue. If you look at the budgets of the respective counties, there is revenue from local sources which is factored in. That revenue must be collected and utilized according to the Public Finance Management Act. We are supposed to plan for the monies that will be disbursed by this Schedule plus what they will collect from local sources. In both of them, it is required that they have a monthly inflow budget of how much money is coming from the national Treasury. From the local sources, they should have a schedule of what is budgeted from their resources so that they know what to expect. On that basis, they should then plan their expenditure. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the second thing to note is that this Schedule starts from the month of August, but the financial year starts from July and runs up to June. The County Allocation of Revenue Act, upon which this Schedule is based, came into effect in August, since the Act was passed in late August. So, the money for the month of July has been spread over the rest of the 11 months. So, when you look at how much money, for example, a particular county is supposed to get, instead of dividing it over 12 months, it is divided over 11 months. So it is provided for in this Schedule between the month of August and June next year, so that all the money then must have been released to the counties. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the third thing, which I think is important and Members have raised it, is that the national Treasury is required by law to comply with The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}