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{
    "id": 511916,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/511916/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 278,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "When it comes to the Bill itself, we must make it abundantly clear to all public officers that their positions are not for personal enrichment. In our counties now, one of the most prevailing discussions will be that: “You know, we should accumulate wealth as much as possible and as fast as possible, take advantage of this position for personal gain as much as possible.You never know whether the same governor will be re-elected or whether there will be change of guard.” Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I have even said that the public is also culpable. You realise that a public officer is always ridiculed when he retires, having not accumulated a lot of public or personal wealth because they were honest, spent more time serving the nation, wanted to walk on the narrow road and under the principles of this Constitution. Where were you when men were acquiring wealth or when women of means and intelligence were grabbing land? The public must demand higher standards from public officers. They must also reward those who will live under the narrow road. You find citizens, somebody who is completely impoverished as a result of Government not being able to deliver services in a village, telling another person in office; “I hope you have gotten yourself a lot of wealth because the next elections are about to come. You must amass as much wealth as possible.” We, as a people, must start inculcating the culture of respecting values and principles of governance. This Bill is useful to the great extent that it provides that there must be a record of all complaints that are provided by the public and also gives the public the right to participate in debating and passing of policies of Government or institutions. Going forward, we need to see that there is a deliberate effort in terms of human and financial resources that will enable the people to understand principles, values and policies that are being put in place for their sake. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I am more concerned about the budgeting process in the county. The process of budgeting and allocating resources to a particular office must be more participatory. The people must have a say. Articles 174, 175 and 176 of the Constitution tell you that the reason we went for devolution was because the people wanted to have their own self-government. That is, the ones they are going to dictate to where to put and how to start a project and which one to prioritize.That way, the collective thinking of the people will be imported to governance at the local level. However, you find a situation where everybody believes that it is the prerogative of the governor; he is the sole giver of life in the county and the bringer of development. I was in Mandera yesterday where I had informal sessions with the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs). One of the things I reminded them is that they are the ones who determine development in the county and not the governor. Since they havethe budgeting powers and they are the ones in charge of how the County Integrated Development Plan will look like, they are, therefore, the designers and the oversight implementation projects of the county. However, what do you find? If you go to a public function in Homa Bay, you will realise that all the MCAs are busy praising the governor telling him, “Thank you, Mr. Governor the giver of life, the one who has done for us this road and this water project.” Yet, it is the MCAs who are budgeting. What makes it even more ridiculous is that once they have praised the governor, they say we do not know what Sen. M. Kajwang has done for this county. How many 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."
}