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{
    "id": 437099,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/437099/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 333,
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    "content": "with former Governor Wambora’s case; that we are not just after the county governments. Accountability must be by all of us, whether you are a Member of County Assembly (MCA), a Senator or even a President. This should not be compromised. As we shine the light and as we get the corrupt out of the counties, the same must be applied in the national Government because we cannot be losing Kshs500 billion and think it is business as usual; and nothing happens and we think it is normal. It is not! This accountability must be applied at the two levels of Government. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, when I look at the Kshs799 billion that is remaining in the national Government, I am only worried that if we lose Kshs400 billion or Kshs500 billion to corruption, then what is left to do in this country? It is something that we should be worried about; it is something that we should talk about. It is very unfortunate that this Senate has been put in a position where we are depending on another organ to do their job when we do not have the right to interfere. That takes me to the audited accounts. It does not make sense for us to be basing this allocation on the 2009/2010 audited accounts. I think we must speak, and speak loudly. As much as we are not supposed to compel other organs to do their job, even as a Kenyan – because I am a Kenyan – I should ask why we are basing this revenue division on the audited accounts of three years ago. I think these are things that need to come out very clearly. Even as we move the amendments, these are the things that need to be corrected. The other issue, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, is on the Level 5 hospitals. We know very well that, yes, it is 11 counties that have these hospitals, but they serve very many counties. They traverse across the counties. This must be considered. I like the fact that the Chairperson of the Committee on Finance, Commerce and Budget has already mentioned it somewhere that it will come at the Committee of the Whole, because I look at the consumers of this service. Health is a devolved function; the consumers or the people who benefit most from this service are the women of this country, either for children or for themselves. So, this has to be very well considered and be actually put in the Bill. We should not really shy off and say that we can move an amendment because then it will defeat why we are discussing this Bill. I would hope that we can look at it very objectively so that we can see the fruits of devolution. That will mean that every person will look at how life was five years ago, how it is now and think that life has gotten better. The other issue, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, is on the transfer of functions. I know that as a House, we have sat, led by the Committee on Devolved Government; we have even talked about some of the functions that were not initially devolved and actually advised on them. I do not know how far the team has gone in gazetting these functions. But it should know very clearly that this function should be accompanied by resources. Devolving a function with no money will then mean that we will only judge a fish on how high it can climb a tree. I think that needs to be taken care of. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, with that, I want to support and hope that we can discuss the rest, because the rest has been said by my fellow Senators. I want to support and hope that we can move the necessary amendments at the right stage. Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. 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."
}