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{
    "id": 571044,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/571044/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 201,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I am sure there are many other counties that are facing a similar situation. The consequence of all this is that we have legal challenges. We have staff who have never been paid since they were employed. We also have disgruntled persons because they left their previous jobs to come to Kisii County hoping to get employment, but now they are not employed because they are not earning anything. This is absolutely chaotic. This is the reason I support this Bill because it will bring order in the county assemblies. Madam Temporary Speaker, there is also the bigger need. County Assemblies have a major function to perform; that is to oversight the county executives. In doing so, they will need some independence because they cannot oversight if they rely on the same organization which they are oversighting. Therefore, they need a distance between the executive and them. We are aware that the governors want to control the county assemblies because they do not want anything adverse said about them when this oversight is being done by the assemblies. This Bill will go a long way in providing the independence that the Members of the County Assemblies will require. Madam Temporary Speaker, this Bill will help in setting out qualifications for holders of various positions within the county assembly structure. It will provide for the appointment of a clerk and other staff and the manner in which they can be removed from office. That is very important. There is need for the service board to provide some kind of a report to the assembly detailing the activities during the course of the year. This is very important for orderly conduct of the business of the assembly. This is an important Bill. It needs the support of everybody in this Senate. I believe that is what we precisely need to strengthen the operations of our county assemblies. Madam Temporary Speaker, I recall when I joined Parliament for the first time in the 1980s, it was a Department of the Executive. All the clerks were actually part of the structure in the Office of the President. However, from the time the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) was established backed by a proper law, we have seen significant changes. In this Parliament, we can now talk the way we talk, with full confidence that we are serving this nation from a position of strength. We know that we cannot be summoned by somebody from the Office of the President and asked about what we said in Parliament. That independence is very important. This is precisely the kind of independence and autonomy we want our county assemblies to have. Madam Temporary Speaker, this is an important Bill which deserves the support of everybody here. Therefore, I beg to support it."
}