Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 497908,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/497908/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 304,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "courts that would then take some resources, facilities and assets of our counties. This is the protection that this House is giving to the county governments. It is also important to note that we have to protect counties against internal challenges. If you have county executive officials who are not willing to be accountable, you need to deal with them. It is saddening to read the ruling that was issued by the High Court in Bungoma. This one essentially said that you cannot hold County Executive Committee Members (CECs) accountable. Whereas counties are under threat from external sources and factors, there is increasing threat to devolution from within. A county government can easily be brought down to its knees because of the inefficiencies we see in the CECs and the Governors. It is the responsibility of this House to protect devolution from external threats and challenges but more importantly from internal challenges and mechanisms that can derail it. This House needs to participate, in its protective role when devolution is under attack from external sources from the national Government and regional authorities. In my county, for instance, we have a number of regional authorities operating within the region. One of the issues we continue to ask ourselves is: How do you ensure that the parastals like the Kenya Forestry Services that operate over some resources in counties will sit on a round table with our county governments and ensure exploitation of natural resources and assets within our counties will be done in a manner that not only benefits the national Government but also the local communities and the county governments? These are the things we expect our counties to engage in. As a Senate, we will provide a platform where we will protect our counties whenever they have challenges. It is important to note that the issue, as indicated by the Mover, was brought to his attention by a judge. We expected the County Government of Bungoma, having faced this challenge, to approach this House whose mandate and responsibility is to protect them. We call upon Governors, instead of crying foul and sharing their challenges and their problems with people who may be willing to listen and not provide solutions, to petition this House on some of these challenges so that as a House, we take them up. It is important, as we continue to engage as a Senate, that we ask our counties to look at the Senate as a solution to their challenges as provided for. We will not be doing a favour to county governments. We will be executing our mandate as the Senate, a mandate given to us by the Constitution which is to protect devolution and to ensure that the interests of counties are taken care of. There cannot be a better legislation than this particular one that gives protection to our counties with regard to some of these debts. I want to wind up by congratulating a number of the Movers of various Motions and Bills in this House. Whereas sometimes some institutions which are not keen on ensuring that the Senate undertakes its responsibilities have branded the Senate anti-devolution, we also want them to look at some of these Bills. 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."
}