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"id": 437002,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale",
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"id": 170,
"legal_name": "Bonny Khalwale",
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"content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with a light touch I chose that route because today, as a disciplined Member of the Committee on Finance, Commerce and Budget, I know that it is not just we, the Senators on the Opposition side, who want more money for our counties. I also know that Senators on the proposition side also want more money. However, the reality is that we would be actually walking into that parable with our eyes wide open. We want a strong Senate that will appreciate that whereas we are protecting the interests of the counties, we are also leaders of the Republic of Kenya. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for this country to succeed we need adequate funding for the devolved governments and the national Government. It is up to us, as senior Members in politics in this country, at the level of the Senate, to take that culture to the National Assembly, so that when the National Assembly is discharging its mandate, they always make sure that there are enough funds for both levels. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, why would I want more funds for Kakamega County, for example? Since I come from a community, why would I want more funds for the five counties of our community? It is because, unfortunately, from the time President Kibaki exited, all the projects that he had started in our five counties, including the Sigalagala- Butere Road, Kamukuywa Road and many other roads, hospitals and so on, stalled. So, our people are expecting that, probably, it is through the devolved funds that these projects can start going. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, today, I come before my people in our counties and also Kenyans, to tell them why, as a Member of the Committee on Finance, Commerce and Budget, I have decided to support the Bill in its present form of Kshs226 billion. I am supporting it with a clear mind that the Senate Majority Leader, in this House, tabled a similar Bill here. Why did he table it? It is our Bill and has got a figure of Kshs226 billion. We do not know what influenced the same Senate Majority Leader to come here with a figure of Kshs226 billion without consulting us. So, it will be deceitful of us, having failed to challenge the First Reading of that Bill, which was wrong and three times when it was in the Committee on Finance, Commerce and Budget, for us now to start saying here that we do not know it."
}