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{
    "id": 428475,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/428475/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 251,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Murungi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2802,
        "legal_name": "Kathuri Murungi",
        "slug": "kathuri-murungi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Speaker for giving me this chance. From the outset, I support this Budget Policy Statement (BPS). I also take this opportunity to thank the Committee for a job well done. I would like to support this BPS because, first, most of our counties are under-developed. I want to also thank the Government for appropriating more than Kshs40 billion on top of what they gave to the counties last year; this is a show of commitment to devolution. However, what should be checked in this country is the Government expenditure, especially having an efficient supply chain management. When we compare the procurement systems in the private sector to the procurement systems in the Government, we can see that a lot of money is not spent wisely. If we improve our income base, then our Government will run without any problems. With all this money going to the counties, it is important that the Senate considers coming up with legislation to allocate money for direct development; maybe 60 per cent should go to development and 40 per cent should be retained for Recurrent Expenditure. Another important issue to look into is the Rural Electrification Authority (REA). Most of our constituencies are not connected to power. I thank this Committee for considering the Kshs7.3 billion allocation to go to REA. Also, the Kshs5 million per constituency will be going to the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) projects. A lot of our youths do not have skills, as most of the Members have indicated. Revamping the youth polytechnics in our counties is a clear indication that most of our youth will be able to use the Uwezo Fund, which at the moment; they are not even able to apply for. I was at my constituency over the weekend; it was unfortunate to note that most of the youths are saying that they do not know what to do with the money. They cannot come up with proposals, or they cannot come up with business ideas, simply because most of them do not have the relevant skills. We have many youths idling, but with the revamping of the polytechnics, it is clear that they will get skills in areas like masonry and carpentry; they will then start their workshops and become productive. Another thing which is of importance is the Kshs3.74 billion, which has been allocated to our Level 5 Hospitals. Most of our people are in problems because of lifestyle diseases. We need our Level 5 Hospitals to be equipped to cater for cancer and other complications like kidney problems. Using this allocation, most of our hospitals will cater for these problems. With these few remarks, I support the BPS."
}