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{
    "id": 451805,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/451805/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 208,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Wahome",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1700,
        "legal_name": "Alice Muthoni Wahome",
        "slug": "alice-muthoni-wahome"
    },
    "content": "expenses related to tea and flowers. We have fleets of vehicles assigned for use by people who cannot even afford to maintain their own vehicles. Some of them now have between three and four chase cars. Those are the areas we must look at, particularly with the governance system that we have adopted. When we talk of auditing, it does not mean that this House is not supporting devolution. The enemies of devolution are those people who are not willing to evaluate what devolution have brought to this country, two years down the line. We must agree that appropriation is necessary but most importantly, we must acknowledge the fact that Kshs.80 million is a very small cost in terms of supporting an evaluation audit that will help us to move forward. We must identify the areas where we are losing money. I support rationalisation of the salaries of workers in the entire nation, starting with those of commissioners. I support a reduction in the number of commissioners as well as the number of commissions. One will realise that commissions have now taken a different course. They are taking different courses from those of the departments or Ministries that we have. They do not even create a convergence or meeting point. I do not think that the intention of the Constitution was to create centres of conflict in this country. There are centres of conflict between the Senate and the National Assembly that have been created by some people who are not willing to appreciate the roles and mandates that they have. There are centres of conflicts between the Inspector- General of Police and the Chairperson of the Police Service Commission. There are centres of conflict between the National Land Commission and the Cabinet Secretary. All these conflicts actually attest to the fact that we have duplicated mandates. Therefore, we need to be very realistic. We must bite the bullet. Where we need to cut, let us be brave and do so. I think the National Assembly would be the last to suffer that kind of audit in terms of our work. In law we say that the thing speaks for itself. Therefore, the product of the work that we have done on the Floor of this House should be able to vindicate us. This country is supposed to be setting the pace. Let us learn from other countries that have had devolution, which are now rectifying some mistakes. One example is Uganda. Some West African countries have gone that route, and have seen that devolution is really a foreign concept that is very expensive to implement. Therefore, even though we support it, we must cut those things that this country cannot support. Our call for audit should not be misinterpreted by the Senate. The former head of the legal bar, hon. Amos Wako, must be reminded that he is an elder and, therefore, he must be careful about the statements that he makes, particularly when they are directed at the National Assembly. We must remind ourselves where we have come from. We must agree that this country is bigger than all of us. We must stop the “big-man” syndrome. That is one of the problems that are ailing this country. We have seen His Excellency the President take a ride across the border. That is the way. Why do we need to send two vehicles from Nairobi to Mombasa to receive a Cabinet Secretary who has taken a flight? Obviously, once they get there, there will obviously be---"
}