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{
    "id": 445646,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/445646/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 228,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Okoth",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 12482,
        "legal_name": "Kenneth Odhiambo Okoth",
        "slug": "kenneth-odhiambo-okoth"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Speaker. I actually rise to oppose this Report even as amended because I have a number of important concerns. Some are legal and some political, given where we are as country. The first thing I see as a problem with the amendment is the process within which powers had to be transferred. One of the amendments that we have got here proposes that, in accordance with Article 187 of the Constitution, the national and county governments urgently enter into agreements with a view to transferring specific functions to the National Government. Now, the words “urgently enters into agreement” sound very vague to me. It is not specific and it does not give us the right timelines. Hon. Speaker, let us look at the Inter-Governmental Relations Act which talks about the different parts if you go to, especially, Articles 25 and 26. But we start off with Section 22 of the Inter-Governmental Relations Act. It clearly states that the transfer of powers between different levels of Government shall be reported back to the National Assembly. There is a reporting requirement back to this House. The way it is set up there is not clear. Therefore, my problem is that, we are not even setting a clear mechanism that, whatever process or agreements, will be reported into this House. I had hoped to request hon. Members of the Health Committee and the Mover of this Motion to amend it so that it is very specific. There must be a reporting function back to the House under specific timelines. The second problem with this issue here is really an attempt to directly or indirectly sabotage devolution and grab power away from our county governments; including our governors, the county assembly and the executives in charge of health at the county level. I think that problem can only be solved if you look at the amendment that has been proposed by hon. Mule and which passed - and is part of the Report - the problem will still be there. That is because the law that stands before this - when we go to Section 25 of the Inter-Governmental Relations Act - states very clearly that a government delegating power functions or competence under this part shall ensure that the transfer is in accordance with the procedure set out under this Act or a prescribed The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}