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{
    "id": 467713,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/467713/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 200,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mungai",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 890,
        "legal_name": "James Kiarie Mungai",
        "slug": "james-kiarie-mungai"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this very important Bill. This Bill is apparently overdue in that the counties are waiting for us to pass it so that they can get money. As I support, I would like to address some issues that touch on my county. Nakuru County is one of the counties with a deficit ofKshs1.2 billion. There are other counties that have a surplus of up to even Kshs6 billion. I find this to be inappropriate because there is no way we can run our 2013/2014 financial year with a deficit. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when I look at the formula that has been adopted concerning the division of the monies, it means that proper participation by my people in Nakuru in ensuring that the figures that were being used for statistics so that we ended up with such kind of allocation, could have been erroneous. So, I am requesting the people of Nakuru to ensure that anything that requires public participation is well attended and their views listened to so that we do not end up with a deficit. I hope that next year we shall not end up with a deficit. I know that many Senators have spoken before me and that there are many issues they have raised. In addition, the issue about the structures in the counties requires a lot of attention. As much as we are giving them money, it would be very disastrous if they were not ready to spend the money due to poor structures. It is important to ensure that structures are in place. The personnel that will be in charge of these finances should be people beyond any reproach. There is an issue concerning the size of some counties. I know that Kakamega, Kiambu and Nakuru are vast counties. It is important to look at the size of a county because, by extension, it influences the amount of money that is allocated. The amount of money that is allocated to counties although it may not be what the Senate wanted to be disbursed to counties, is something manageable. So, in future, we must ensure the amount allocated by the Government to counties is sufficient. I would like to comment on some issues that are happening in our country. Those who are in Parliament for the first time have observed a trend where once some people lose in elections, they go back to an electioneering mood the following month. Our people elected us to ensure that development is realised within the period we are at the Senate. Therefore, it is important when it comes to politics, we try as much as we can to deal with them ourselves. We have issues regarding the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) which have made this body appear very bad in the eyes of the public. I believe that institutions like the IEBC were formed constitutionally and should be respected all the time. We must respect them whether there is a by-election in Makueni or not. Unless we do so, at one point, we will not have confidence in any of the institutions that have been created by our Constitution. With those few remarks, I support. 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."
}