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{
    "id": 536915,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/536915/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 233,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13156,
        "legal_name": "Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
        "slug": "mutula-kilonzo-jnr"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I will not repeat what everybody else has said. However, once again, we find ourselves in another predicament where we are arguing about the provisions of the Constitution on what is sharable revenue under Article 202 on revenue raised nationally and revenue that is supposed to be divided between county governments and the national Government under Article 203(2) and (3). Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, once again, I repeat what I said last year. We must insist to have audited accounts that are up to date so that we do not end up in the sort of argument that I have seen this afternoon about revenue collected nationally and revenue that is supposed to be divided under the Constitution. The last audited accounts talk about of Kshs776 billion. Even if we do not like it, we cannot violate the Constitution because that is what it says. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in my view – I have said this before – this time round I am happy that the Committee on Finance, Commerce and Budget has finally disagreed with the proposals with the CRA. The CRA attempted to side-step our Committee on Finance, Commerce and Budget in terms of explaining to us one by one why they agreed to the figure of Kshs258 billion, but not a higher figure. The reason I say so is because under Article 218, the recommendations that my Chairman; Sen. Wako was referring to, the figures that are contained and were issued in December, 2014, should have come to us so that we negotiate with them in order to arrive at the figures that we have amended hence, the reason I support the amendment to increase the Emergency Fund. During debate in the last Division of Revenue Bill, I was not in this Chamber. I was in Makueni attending the burial of 28 people who died out of alcohol poisoning. The national Government promised to pay the victims’ families, but it did not. That is the reason I support the proposal by the Committee that we return the allocation of Kshs4.4 billion proposed by the CRA. Secondly, Sen. Murkomen is one of the Members who have defended and, in fact, requested this House to look at the question of emoluments of county assemblies yet the CRA and governors have gone ahead to agree to a reduction. That is the reason I support the amendment to increase the allocation. With regard to Level 5 Hospitals, as far as I and the Committee are concerned, this is not negotiable. On the leasing of equipment Kshs4.5 billion, we have recommended that this House looks at the figure so that the question of value for money - where the Government proposes to lease, but in the end result, it will be much better to purchase the equipment outright - be looked into so that we get value for money. Lastly, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we have proposed that there should be an amendment to the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act so that the sort of rush you have seen this week where we spend sleepless nights crossing all over to recommend, 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."
}