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{
    "id": 406901,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/406901/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 230,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Obure",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 118,
        "legal_name": "Christopher Mogere Obure",
        "slug": "christopher-obure"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to make very few remarks. The matter before us is very important and I only wish that we had more time to study and make more meaningful suggestions on how this Fund can best work. This is an initiative intended to help reduce poverty among our population. It is an initiative which is intended to involve people by engaging them in various useful economic activities. It is an initiative that is intended to improve the quality of life of our people. To that extent, it is a really welcome initiative. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I just want to raise a few concerns, some of which have been raised by those who have spoken before me. I believe that there is need to strengthen the structures. I think the Senator for Nyeri pointed that out. The management structures for this kind of Fund should be strengthened to make it really meaningful and to be able to deliver the objectives you want to deliver. There is need to monitor what happens to make sure that the money is put to proper use. It should not just lend to individuals who will then go out there and disappear so that the money is not available to others after them. We should also intensify supervision and accountability. I think this is a major concern. Secondly is what the Senator for Trans Nzoia has highlighted. The emphasis here is to assist people who come forward in groups. I think we are really losing it. How do you explain that there are many secondary school graduates, middle level school graduates, first degree holders and other professionals but they are usefully engaged? People have attained diplomas from agricultural institutions and degrees in environmental studies and all that but they are unemployed? I think we should target these individuals. These are some of the people who should benefit from this Fund. I think a sizeable proportion of this Fund should be set aside to be lent out to individuals in those categories. I think the whole concept would be enriched if we extended it to individuals rather than to groups. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, my other concern is really membership to the Uwezo Fund committees at the constituency level. If you look at the membership, it is the sub-county commissioner or his representative. That is the equivalent of the former District Commissioner (DC). The other member is the sub-county development officer. There is also the sub-county accountant and the sub-county representative of the national Government who are all civil servants. I do not know who these people are accountable to. Today, under the devolved system of Government, we have county governments operating in these areas. I do not see any accommodation for them. I do not see them involved at all in this scheme. I am aware that the county governments are in the process of recruiting ward administrators. I expect that these people should be given a role in the management of this kind of Fund because we have governments in place which are properly set up, elected by the people and are accountable to the people. 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 I think we should make amendments to accommodate this category of people and enhance the membership of these committees through that arrangement. I also think that a representative from each ward in the constituency will be nominated following consultations between the county women representative and the National Assembly Women representative or the Constituency Member of Parliament. There is going to be consultation between the Member of the County Assembly and the Constituency Member of Parliament. There should be consultations between the two in order to appoint a representative from each of the county wards. What happens if those consultations do not achieve a consensus? I think we should create some mechanism through which an agreement would be fostered. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, as much as I support the Fund, I hope that the amendments that will be made by the Committee will really take care of the various concerns which have been expressed. Otherwise, I think this is a good scheme and people are looking forward to it and hoping that they will benefit from it. Let us address some of the pitfalls which we see now so that the Fund does not fail like others have failed in the past. I support."
}