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{
    "id": 527557,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/527557/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 229,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, the original Bill was published on 30th July, 2013. It would be a contradiction of terms for this Senate to pass this Bill, when we have now listened to appeals from all counties on matters agriculture. Sen. Khalwale mentioned the functions of county governments, under Part II of the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution. Part 2 (1) reads:- “The functions and powers of the county are— 1. Agriculture, including— (a) crop and animal husbandry; (b) livestock sale yards; (c) county abattoirs; (d) plant and animal disease control; and, (e) fisheries.” We have, in fact, as a country, devolved the functions of agriculture in totality to counties. What this Bill is proposing to do is return these functions to the national Government, so that then this board is charged with the responsibility of managing fertiliser plants. What would be the purpose of giving functions of agriculture to counties and then taking them away through the left hand; what we call robbing Peter to pay Paul? I have serious fundamental issues with this Board which I will now highlight. Under Clause 3 (2L) (2), I have found something that I have not seen in legislation anywhere in this country. It reads:- “The funds of the board and its balances at the close of each financial year shall not be paid into the Consolidated Fund, but shall be retained for the purposes of which the Board is established.” How are we going to allow something like this? For all intentions and purposes when you read this amendment in its entirety, this is a state corporation yet the balances of the money would not be remitted to the Consolidated Fund, it would be kept by them. That is an avenue for corruption. All financial management of government funds dictate that if funds have not been utilized at the end of the financial year, they are returned to the Consolidated Fund for purposes of budgeting. This is an avenue of people lining their pockets with money. Regarding functions under Section 2L (1) (a) it says:- “Such sums as may be appropriated by Parliament for that purpose” I am more interested in part (b). This board that the Senate is being asked to pass under part (b) would receive money from this, which says:- “grants, gifts or donations that the Board may receive as a result of public and private appeal from local and; international donors or agencies for the purposes of carrying out its functions.” This is what is called an avenue for what Sen. Hassan called fertiliser barons. This is an avenue for receiving gifts which are not defined, to receive what I call incentives or whatever it is that this corporation is tasked to do so that they can facilitate industries, they can facilitate distribution of fertiliser, so that they can advice counties and monopolize this business while this country is attempting to move from monopolistic tendencies. Somebody is thinking that we are going to engage reverse gear like the proverbial Mussolini Tank and go backwards so many days, that it would be a tragedy to 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"
}