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"content": "the month, if you find billions of shillings being held, this also means that, perhaps, there are challenges with regard to procurement and expenditure management. It is important for Members to know that. Mr. Speaker, Sir, now that we are sending this money every month, no doubt that counties will get their money. Hon. Senators need to be concerned about accountability. We did not set up the County Public Accounts and Investments Committee (CPAIC) in vain. When the Auditor-General submits his report, the CPAIC examines the report and obtains the information that they need. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the challenge we have today is that the county governments are challenging the Auditor-General’s Report. They have even challenged the report by the Controller of Budget. They have challenged even when they have been summoned by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) by going to court. If you do not accept accountability or oversight by Parliament or by constitutional commissions or independent offices, then that clearly means that you want to set up a situation where you want to be your own judge, prosecutor and to be completely independent. Mr. Speaker, Sir, some of us in this House, contrary to what some county governors are saying, pioneered the Constitution that brought about devolution. In fact, we spent two years at the Bomas trying to come up with this Constitution. Our main focus was the issue of devolution. When we came up with devolution, it was not the intention of the framers of the Constitution to replicate the functions of the national Government. It was not the intention of the framers of the Constitution to replicate the wastage, inefficiencies, corruption and mismanagement that we have seen in the national Government in the last 50 years in the county governments. That was not the intention. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we do not want to do things, therefore, the same way they are being done at the national Government. If any county governor thinks that he has his own county government, he is independent and they are above accountability and reproach, then they are missing the point. This House is the one that determines how much money each county government receives. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this House and the National Assembly are the ones that determine the resources that go to counties. In the same way that we allocate resources, we also have responsibilities under Article 96(3) of oversight. Governors should not miss that point. The point is that our work is not simply to allocate resource. Mr. Speaker, Sir, under Article 96(3), it is also our mandate to oversight them and to hold them responsible. I want to be brief and say that Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale’s committee should exercise the same commitment that the Senate exercises in increasing allocation. This must be matched equally to accountability. We, as Senators, must not focus only on the aspect of making sure that resources go to the counties. I want Members here to spend time thinking that they will be held by Kenyans responsible; for accountability for money that will go to counties. That is important. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I expect the Committee of Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, going forward, to submit reports to this House on the audit reports that they have examined. That is one 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."
}