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{
    "id": 437019,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/437019/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 253,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "May 15, 2014 SENATE DEBATES 34 Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I think Sen. Hassan needs to listen. I said that the Committee, having come up with this Bill, as a Member, I had to share with you my thoughts with regard to what made the Committee to hold the majority view, that this Bill should come the way it is. I would be failing if I did not do that. As I was saying, if we want the country to move forward, the petty 15 per cent and 23 per cent that is going to the county should not be seen to be the only monies that are driving this country. We must be part of the national budget by making sure that the national budget reaches all the other areas of the country. A culture is starting to give the impression that the only money that Kenya should worry about is the 15 per cent. We want, as Senators, to speak on the 15 per cent and to also push the national Government so that the balance reaches all corners of this country. We should not look at money which is remaining at the national Government as money that has been lost either to Tanzania or Uganda. That money is in Kenya. It is up to us to make sure that the money works in all the corners of this country. Unlike at Independence, we have three challenges that will make or break our country. The first one is poverty which was there at Independence. At Independence, we did not have the kind of unemployment that we have today. We have highly trained young Kenyans who are unemployed and who constitute a very serious problem; unemployment. The last one is the problem of inequality. Devolution is only addressing inequality. We want the national Government to address the issue of unemployment and poverty. Even if you gave Kshs9 billion to Turkana, that would not solve the problem of Turkanas. Let Turkana be supported with the Kshs9 billion. However, President Uhuru should make sure that from the national kitty, Turkana gets a giant support for the country to succeed so that we kill inequality. We have to be strong on the issue of wastage because the corruption that takes place in the national Government is the real reason that we do not have enough money to carry out development in the counties. For example, two to three years ago, corruption caused us a loss of Kshs300 billion. The Auditor-General said recently that it had shot up to Kshs500 million. If, indeed, we are patriotic sons and daughters of this nation, sitting in this Senate, we should address this problem. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is a lot of duplication. The President has increased the cost of running Government. The President cannot attempt to implement Article 262(17) which requires restructuring of the Provincial Administration without involving the Senate, the National Assembly, the Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC), the public and the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC). He has not done that. We should be united around this issue and in telling the President that he is wrong. We should ask him to bring that Bill here so that we debate the structure. If it turns out to be acceptable to devolution, we pass it. This Senate cannot be used for purposes of looking for a better Opposition or a better side of the Government. This is the organ that should bring balance to this country. The Conditional Fund is one positive reason we should support the Kshs226 billion. We were persuaded by the CRA and by the Council of Governors that governors had refused the Conditional Allocation. We must say the truth. It is only after the 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."
}