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{
    "id": 404512,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/404512/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 70,
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    "content": "trying to really hold true to the spirit of this Bill, we would have lost this Bill. I attended one of the Committee meetings where the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) was in attendance, where Sen. Sang really defended his Bill very well. So, congratulations for that, Sen. Sang. I think it is a result of that, that we have this Bill in this House in this particular form; and I think this is a Bill that will really take county governments to the next level. But, Mr. Speaker, Sir, even as I talk about the difficulty of bringing Bills to the House and the influence that comes with it – because we have different players and different interests – I think it is important to emphasize the independence of the Legislature, the Judiciary and the Executive. Let the Legislature do its work; let us do the work of coming up with the Bills and let us discuss them as they should be discussed. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this is the first time this country is going through devolution; so, we really are going through various experiences. Some counties have started off with a perfect head start and they know where to go; but others have not and it is a challenge for many of the counties. In some counties, they have hired consultants to give direction in terms of where the county should go to; and some of those have made headway. However in other counties, they have not hired consultants, but they have had – like in Kilifi County – a “County Day” where they have tried to bring the various players together, and this is the nexus of this Bill. I think all these efforts are done differently because there has not been a stage and a forum that has been set to do exactly that – to bring the vision and mission of the county; where does it want to go to; how does it want to go there and discuss the nitty gritty of the details that each county has to attain to achieve specific goals. The integrated county development plans for most counties have been set out and that is one other forums that can be used to project and ensure that those particular objectives have been attained. But there is a need to have a board – and I think the County Development Boards at the county level enable the various players to project even in advance, if there are any loopholes, indicators or anything that they have missed out; that they can actually sit together. This Bill gives county leaders a forum for them to sit together in a structured manner so that they can actually look at where the county wants to go and how the county should get there so that at the end of it all, it is a role that has been played by everybody. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have had various players, even as we moved into devolution, but all these players have looked at things from various angles and, sometimes partly, that has formed part of the teething problems, especially in the counties. Some of these players include the Commission for Revenue Allocation (CRA) and the CIC especially with regard to the interpretation of law, interpretation of devolution; and everybody was pulling from different directions. Counties came up with budgets that had not really been sprung from the ground; so, there are various teething problems that we have experienced in trying to understand where we are going to. But this particular forum gives us a chance to correct all this, once and for all. Therefore, as we move away from pushing issues of accountability and blame games to other people; we are able to sit together at one forum and make decisions. Other Senators have already said this here; that it is important for leaders to work together. It is not a question of personalities – and I know there have been clashes 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"
}