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{
    "id": 492008,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/492008/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 296,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Hargura",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 827,
        "legal_name": "Godana Hargura",
        "slug": "godana-hargura"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I wish to Second this Motion which requires the Senate to direct the Sessional Committee on Devolved Government to expeditiously inquire into the matter concerning Isiolo County, with a view of solving the wrangles in the County Assembly and report within three weeks. The state of affairs in this county is sad, because for a long time, some parts of this country have been left behind in terms of development. We have all been complaining of marginalization, but now we have been given the opportunity to develop our own counties. Resources are being availed to the counties, so that they can take charge of their own development and priorities. They have been crying for a long time that they have been marginalized, but now the sad state of affairs is that it is our own elected leaders who are becoming another source of marginalization to us. This is because there is no development and people are not getting services because of what is happening within various counties, particularly Isiolo County. As a Senate, we have the responsibility to make sure that these issues are sorted out, because we have the duty to protect and serve the counties and their governments and make sure that they take off. In such a situation, we have to stop and ask ourselves what is not happening. Why is it that the county is not moving forward? Why is it that the county assembly has not met for the last three months? We have even heard that if a county assembly does not meet for three months, this may have other legal implications. So, the earlier the Committee on Devolved Government moves in and brings these people together and sorts out the problem, the better. From the chronology of events given by the Mover of this Motion, there is also the element of interference by the courts. We have talked about that several times in this House. Initially, we talked about the Senate being obstructed by the Judiciary and now it is going down to the county assemblies, and we do not know how far it will go. I do not know whether the officers in the Judiciary are part of the Kenyan dream of making sure that devolution works. This is because if we do very narrow interpretation of the Constitution, we end up having the bigger good being lost. If we try to serve the interests or rights of an individual to hold an office, when the public through its elected leaders have said that they do not want that person, then we just wonder whose interest the Judiciary is serving. If it was a temporary injunction, maybe within a month, the Judiciary should have sorted out this and come up with a permanent position on the issue. We would have sorted out the issue of Isiolo County. But, unfortunately, as the Senate, we cannot sit here and assume that nothing is wrong. We cannot sit here and pass Bills"
}