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{
    "id": 450983,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/450983/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 208,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Nyenze",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1987,
        "legal_name": "Francis Mwanzia Nyenze (Deceased)",
        "slug": "francis-mwanzia-nyenze"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Speaker, I just want to say that the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill is sugar-coated and, as my colleague here Dr. Eseli has said, it is very likely that if we pass these amendments the way they are proposed in this Order Paper, which I oppose very strongly, we will be fighting devolution. I have scrutinised these amendments very closely and just wanted to highlight just a few things on the Transition to Devolved Government Act. Hon. Speaker, this Bill seeks to delete Section 24(1) which states that:- “Any other variable as may be prescribed after consultations between the Authority, the county governments and the Commission for Implementation of the Constitution and the Commission on Revenue Allocation as one of the criteria for transfer of functions.” This deletion is suspect because Transition Authority will now be a sole determinant of criteria for transfer of functions between the national Government and county governments. The Transition Authority is to be dissolved, latest 4th March 2016. The proposal to dissolve it immediately and have it taken over by the Intergovernmental Relations Committee, which is in place, will lead to disruption of transfer of functions. The Transition Authority has the capacity and institutional memory. If we terminate its functions early, there is a danger. I am not accusing the Jubilee Government, but the national Government will mess up with devolution. Hon. Speaker, if you look at these amendments very carefully they appear not to be very bad, but they remove the control of the National Assembly from its oversight role. Some seek to strengthen but it does not make sense. I would say that if you look at the Urban Areas and Cities Act, the small insertions and change of sections--- If you look at the new Section 61which is added immediately after Section 60, it allows cities and urban areas to continue imposing rates and charges under the law. Where I come from, traders have been rioting because of the rates that are being charged by the County Government of Kitui. This country has become very poor because Kenyans are taxed more than any other people on the planet and yet, they have very little income. If we pass these amendments and let these cities impose taxes on the poor Kenyans who cannot put food on the table; who cannot take their children to decent schools and who are so insecure that when they get out of their homesteads, they do not know whether they will come back safely, it will be very punitive. Hon. Speaker, I can see in these amendments an attempt by the national Government to control the county governments and not allow them to inherit what is 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."
}