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{
    "id": 469620,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/469620/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 231,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "May 14, 2013 SENATE DEBATES 39 Sen. Karaba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for giving me this chance to say one or two words about our county representatives. You know that we and the county representatives are products of very strenuous campaigns which, of course, went on for more than two years. The culmination of these campaigns was the election of the county representatives, Members of Parliament, Governors and here we are as Senators. People need to understand the pain of becoming a county representative, a governor or a Senator. It has taken us a lot of time. We have spent a lot of money to be in this august House. Similarly, county representatives spent a lot of money to be where they are. I remember one time when the newspapers had indicated that county representatives would earn Kshs300,000. I do not know what happened, it was reduced to Kshs79,000. At the point of reduction, these people had spent a lot of money to become county representatives. This was like an ambush. They were ambushed to the positions they are at a salary of Kshs79,000. At the realization of that, most of them are now rebelling. If the trend continues, we may have civil strife. There will be rebellion in our counties and we will not make any progress. It has been very expensive to introduce devolution. You will also note that the Constitution making process was done in the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 and cost the Government a lot of money. The greatest achievement was devolution. Now that we are nursing the child, devolution, as Senators, we are the custodians. We are the people who should provide oversight. We must do it without shame so as to protect governors and county representatives because they are at our mercy. If this does not happen, we will be held responsible. It is a challenge and that is why we are here. We are not wasting time, but to make sure that county representatives are properly remunerated. Some of them, as you have heard, cover a big region, for example, those who cover the North Eastern, the Rift Valley and parts of the western region. Some of them represent over 50,000 voters, but at the end of the month, they get Kshs61,000. This is a salary equivalent to that of a house help who is employed by officers who earn high salaries. We need to move in solidarity. We have the responsibility to ensure that county representatives are well endowed. I support."
}