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{
    "id": 469583,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/469583/?format=api",
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    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, we have just discussed the issue of borrowing. One of the important functions of the county assemblies is to ensure that the management of public debt at the county level is in order in terms of the amount of money that the county can borrow from within and outside the country. I know we will continue with that Motion, but it is important to note that one of the most critical players in terms of borrowing at the county level is the county assembly. Those county assemblies require people who are qualified, able, stable and have sound emotional equilibrium to be able to think through these very important functions that the county assembly is given under the Constitution. The county assemblies are supposed to approve the county development plan. Again, at the opportune time, this House will interrogate how many counties have development plans. How many of them have strategic plans because most of them are groping in the dark. Be it as it may again, the county assemblies are expected to approve this very important plans. Those who will sit in the county assemblies must be men and women who will have the necessary emotional equilibrium to be able to discuss such important functions. Madam Temporary Speaker, I know people have protested and brought pigs to town. They have called Members of Parliament “pigs” and so on. When I was coming here I found a “missing pig”. I think when they said “Mpigs” they meant a missing pig. On a serious note, the county assembly members cannot earn Kshs79,000 before tax and Kshs61,000 after tax, without house allowances. How do we expect them to undertake the functions I enumerated here before when they earn that kind of salary? It is almost impossible for a county assembly member earning Kshs61,000 to check the Governor who is earning almost ten times or Kshs600,000. You do not expect county assemblies to attract people who are qualified enough to look at county development plans, budgets and vetting of officers in the county when they are earning Kshs61,000. You do not expect the county assemblies to hire staff, just like the Senate has its staff, including the Clerk, who are going to earn more than the county assembly members. Therefore, logically it means those who will work in the county assemblies must accept to earn Kshs40,000 or Kshs20,000. If that is the case, we are basically strangling devolution. Let us not lie to 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."
}