HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 571336,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/571336/?format=api",
"text_counter": 224,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Ndiema",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 1067,
"legal_name": "Henry Tiole Ndiema",
"slug": "henry-tiole-ndiema"
},
"content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, from the outset, I support this Motion brought by Sen. (Eng.) Muriuki. I believe that this is arising from the need of his county – which is starting almost from scratch – to have facilities at the County Headquarters. This is an issue that should have been done right from the time devolution came into place. The TA should have looked into this matter and brought it forward. Under the provisions of the Constitution, this matter, I believe, could have been looked at because it is provided that the national Government had a duty to ensure that county governments had a ground start. Funds or resources could have been allocated right from the beginning to meet special needs of counties such as Nyandarua County. Nevertheless, I do not think that it is too late. This can still be done. Counties should be facilitated to have their headquarters. If some counties are required to use meagre resources – the equal share – which they are given like any other counties, then, development or other services that are essential may suffer. I support that this matter be looked into. The Senator raised the issue of facilities at the county headquarters. There are other things other than facilities that several counties also lack. These are issues of health facilities and county hospitals not being at the same level. Some counties have better facilities than others. Those should equally be looked at. Some counties also have machinery for road construction or agricultural purposes and others do not have, particularly those which were formerly provincial headquarters had better facilities. So, the same way we have been giving special consideration to Level 5 hospitals, we should look also at the special needs of different counties. For example, Trans Nzoia County is feeding the country in terms of grain. Even though agriculture has been devolved, even if the meagre resources that are allocated to Trans Nzoia County are applied to subsidize fertilizer and procure grain for Kenyans, they will not be enough. Therefore, it is important that as we devolve certain functions, the resources must follow those functions proportionately and not in equal measure. This is because there are special needs for different counties. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, on the issue of formation of a Special Committee, in my view what we require is not so much a special Committee, but experts or a consultant to be engaged, to visit all the counties, look at their needs and come up with a report. There is no reason to form a Special Committee of this House, when there is already a Sessional Committee on Devolved Governments. That is the work of that Committee, unless it has said that it is not able to perform that function. I would object to another Committee being formed, when there is already a Committee tasked with that duty or mandate, to ensure that devolution actually takes place. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there are so many other issues concerning counties. We have the issue of county headquarters. The other day, we recommended that all county headquarters, when it comes to classification of towns, be deemed to be, at least, at the municipality level, even if they are just starting, like the ones in Tharaka-Nithi or Ol Kalou. They should start with municipality status. The facilities may not be there, but 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."
}