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{
    "id": 554841,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/554841/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 177,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Kanyua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 981,
        "legal_name": "Priscilla Nyokabi Kanyua",
        "slug": "priscilla-nyokabi-kanyua"
    },
    "content": "On the question of the role of the Senate, it is time our Senate agreed to assist the country in monitoring the implementation of the Kshs287 billion. We have seen Senators fighting with the National Assembly for functions that belong to the National Assembly and yet there is no one to perform the functions that belong to the Senate. The Senate must, once and for all, agree that we have a unique Senate only known to Kenya. It is a Senate that has reduced powers. It is a Senate that is supposed to oversee funding that goes to counties. Challenging that authority of the Senate is not helping anybody. What the Senators need to do is come up with a plan on how they will oversight the counties. They cannot call the Governors at random. Calling the Kiambu, Bomet or Machakos Governors without any concrete plan is not helpful. We want to see the Senate come up with a clear roadmap on how to oversight all our 47 counties. There was Kshs210 billion given in the first year, Kshs236 billion given in the second year, Kshs287 billion given in this third year and nobody can see any change in the counties. In my county, everybody continues to be as gloomy as they were before we moved to devolution. There is a problem. There should be a change in our 47 counties after sending Kshs600 billion. The House which should make sure that there is a change in the counties is the Senate. We ask the Senate to just get down to business of overseeing the Kshs287 billion that is going to the counties. It will be regrettable that next year we will pass another figure to the counties and no change of life, service delivery or development standards are seen. We expect some of our counties to be doing double-digit development. With the Kshs287 billion, it is possible for a county to put 50 per cent of its money on recurrent expenditure and 50 per cent on development expenditure. If that happens, we should begin to see positive development indicators in our counties with malaria taken care of. It has been very sad to look at Kakamega and see that malaria in this day and age is still killing children. That should not be happening as we move forward. I have seen the proposed amendments. I have been part of the discussions in the Budget and Appropriations Committee. We regret very much the Kshs800 million that has been removed from the Judiciary. It is truly regrettable. What we are asking this House is to be ready for a Supplementary Appropriation Bill. The Judiciary has shared with the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs that they have set up a project implementation unit. We are asking for a country that respects the rule of law. The Judiciary is a critical partner and actor in that system. If they set up the project implementation unit, it will enhance the absorption of their funds. So, we are telling the Judiciary and everybody else not to panic. Difficult decisions had to be taken today because of where the country finds itself. However, at a point where the Judiciary needs supplementary funding, the National Assembly will rise to the occasion and avail the funds that it will need to continue dispensing justice, improving courts and build a High Court station in every one of our counties. Every single county in Kenya must have a High Court station. The Kshs502 million that the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs had removed from the Judiciary Vote was to assist the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). Again, the role of prosecution in the legal justice system The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}