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{
    "id": 450965,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/450965/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 190,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. A.B. Duale",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 15,
        "legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
        "slug": "aden-duale"
    },
    "content": "across the two Houses. So, once we are through with this Bill, it will find its way to the Senate. This is a Bill that concerns counties. Secondly, with regard to the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, it is a practice in this House that a number of minor amendments that do not merit the publication of a separate Bill are proposed. How do we do it? We consolidate them into one Bill and we call that Bill the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill. So, there are two Bills. There is one that concerns the National Assembly only which we will introduce. However, this one concerns both Houses. This Bill proposes amendments to the following existing principal Acts. The first one is the Land Adjudication Act, Cap.284 of the Laws of Kenya. This Bill is seeking to amend the Land Adjudication Act in order to introduce the element of community land and also a specific position or role for the Cabinet Secretary for Lands. Also, the Bill seeks to amend the Urban Areas and Cities Act of 2011. All it seeks to do is to adjust the population criteria for the conferment of status of a city, municipality or town. How do you confer an area as a town, city, or municipality? In the same breath, it empowers the county governor to confer the status of a special municipality. This law, therefore, seeks to give powers to the governors. It also empowers urban areas and cities to impose rates and charges until a new law is enacted. There is an amendment to the Transition to Devolved Government Act, 2011, No.1 of 2012. The Bill seeks to amend the transition to devolved government. It is trying to create a criterion to be applied by the Transition Authority in terms of transfer of functions and also in terms of areas where we feel that a specific aspect is missing in the County Government Act. This Bill, coming from the Attorney-General, under Clause 37(1), for very mischievous reasons, wants to abolish the Transition Authority (TA) and replace it with something called “Intergovernmental Relations Committee” under the Intergovernmental Relations Act. My honest opinion is that, that is not the right way to go. We should not abolish TA. What are the reasons? We know TA is one of the institutions that were created in the last Parliament under the County Government Act. So, we want an independent body. We do not want an intergovernmental authority. I would like to tell my colleagues that if the Committee does not do justice to us, I will bring an amendment to remove this. That is because I believe that TA has reasons and functions and nobody has brought a report to this House to say that TA has failed in its duties. There is the County Governments Act, No.17 of 2012. This Bill seeks to amend that Act in order to reduce the number of votes required by a county for the purpose of the first general election under the Constitution from 15 to 10. The matter I am talking about is very serious. If the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee could listen to me, I would appreciate. Under the County Governments Act, 2012, there is a proposal to reduce the number of votes required for counties for the purpose of the first general election under the Constitution from 15 to 10. That touches on the frame and structure of governance in our country. We need to look at this issue and debate it. Do we stay with the 15 wards per county, or do we reduce them to 10? It also proposes the establishment of a consultative forum for the heads of department and the recognition of professionals in the county. 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."
}