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{
    "id": 399194,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/399194/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 308,
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    "content": "going to distribute your products, you are again charged. These are some of the things that will make even investors fear what we are going through. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, since the county governments already have departments that are working well, they are allowed to send back the staff that were seconded to them. They need now to move on and manage their resources. They need to determine ways of collecting revenue which has really dropped in the counties, compared to what the local authorities used to collect. This is something that we need to find ways of assisting the counties. What has happened? Is there corruption? What do we do? Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the Committee of Finance, Commerce and Economic Affairs has gone round the counties. There will be a lot of challenges in these counties. I will tell you without fear or favour that as much as we gave Kakamega County Kshs7 billion, not much development has been realized. I believe that the governor has a very good plan and blueprint in terms of development. We have other counties which used the money that they received from the national Government to pay salaries and remained with a deficit of Kshs1 billion. We need to ask ourselves whether they will really develop. The sad part is that counties that have a huge population might never develop during this initial period of devolution. But the counties that never used to receive resources from the national Government or felt that they were marginalized during the 50 years of Independence are the ones that will come up very well because they are focused and want to see change. What we should be doing now is to look at this Bill and ask ourselves how we will help counties like Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Kiambu to ensure that they develop beyond what they have achieved. It is a big challenge because of the politics and competition. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, as we finish the year we will get a report from the Controller of Budget which will guide this House. We will monitor progress. For example, if Kakamega County has received over Kshs1 billion, we will be able to question how it has been spent. As we look at Sen. Sang’s Bill also, we need to determine how we can ensure that politicians from different counties sit down and agree that these resources are meant to change the lives of our people. One day when you go to Kakamega, for example, you will be proud to see people appreciating that, indeed, devolution has come, is here to stay and will change their lives. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we, as a country, still need the TA. But they need to bring a report to this House, so that we are able to know how many counties have moved on, especially in terms of managing their finances in line with the County Governments Public Finance Management Act. This will guide us even when making amendments to the Act. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I beg to support."
}