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{
    "id": 553647,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/553647/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 201,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I think as a House we need to assist Kenyans get infrastructure even if it is through a legal framework so that some of the people who live in these slum areas can be assisted and be provided with some of this basic infrastructure because it is very important for them. The other issue is that of the development budget. This Report observes that more money is going to the recurrent budget as compared to development. Despite the fact that the budget we are providing for development is not enough, the situation is worsened by the fact that the same budget experiences low absorption rates. Something really needs to be done so that we make sure the small amounts we are allocating for development in this country are used up to the level of 90 per cent so that this economy is able to grow. Unless that happens, we will keep on budgeting year in, year out and we are not likely to go far. The other issue which is very sensitive and I think this is something which we need to talk about is that something also came up during the presentations. There is a genuine concern in this country where some of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) think that money has been budgeted in other vote heads while this money ought to be budgeted under their vote heads. I want to give a very good example. If you go to the Ministry of Planning and Devolution, there is about Kshs6 billion budgeted for dams and earth pans. The question that the Ministry of Water and Irrigation was asking is: “Who has the technical capacity to implement water projects?” At the same time if you go to the Ministry of National Treasury, there is money for leasing medical equipment. The question is: “Is it Treasury or the Ministry of Health which has the technical capacity to implement that? ” For the leasing of police vehicles, the question is: “Who has a better technical capacity in terms of police vehicles?”What we are saying is that it is important that money is put where technical capacity is even as we prepare the Budget. That is for purposes of effective implementation. As I conclude, I want to say that we need to have a better prioritisation and more so targeting the poor Kenyans. This is so that they get out of the poverty bracket and they are able to enjoy better lives as compared to the rest of us. Thank you."
}