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{
    "id": 469477,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/469477/?format=api",
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    "content": "Council of Nairobi who are owed by the Government. How are you going to write it off? If we have to write off debts, then we need to know how much money is involved. Mr. Speaker, Sir, let us look at 1963 and the problem we had. During that time, and I was lucky to be in that system, there were issues that needed to be resolved at that time but devolution was killed. I want to tell the Senate that there is no one today who can destroy devolution because it is very clear in our Constitution. Devolution is there even if this Senate goes. I do not see anybody who has the capability of calling all Kenyans together and telling them to dissolve devolution. It is not possible. If you look at Article 185, you will see the functions of the county assemblies and those of the central government. Who is going to come forward here and misdirect the whole nation, which united to pass the Constitution? There was a lot of opposition when this Constitution was being passed but the only thing that I have seen in my political life where God had intervened is when this Constitution was passed because there was a lot of opposition. Those who are in the system anticipated this problem and knew what was going to happen. That is why you cannot stop them from manipulating or working against the system but we can only do that if we are guided by the Constitution which is very clear in our mind. This is not the only problem that the county governments are going to face. There will be a lot of other problems. If we do not follow and make sure that this Constitution is implemented, then no Senator will be re-elected. Out there, we are the people who are supposed to protect the county governments. We are the people who are supposed to give them funds and support them financially. When we are talking the way we do, we must take over our responsibility as the Senate. We are here to protect the interest of the county governments. Unless we do that and wait for a Motion like this – when we start talking about history or what has happened, what is going to happen – that actually is not for the Senate! The Senate is here to make sure that county governments are working properly and have all our support. Mr. Speaker, Sir, two or three weeks ago, the county governments or the governors had not realized the power of the Senate. But now, all of you have quiet contacts to the effect that “please, help us; please protect our counties,” and that is what is happening. Let us appear as if we are new to this system. This way, I am not opposing the Motion, as I promised from the word go."
}