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"id": 592440,
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"content": "We are a unitary State, but we have created those units to cure the ills that this country has been visited upon where in some counties the life expectancy is 43 years when in other counties it is 78 years; in the same country. President Obama said that a child born in Nyanza; I do not know why he forgot to say Western as well or Eastern has a serious possibility of never seeing the fourth birthday as compared to a child born in Central Kenya. These are part of our historical contradictions that we need to use devolution to cure. They are part of historical contradictions, neglect and unsatisfactory manner in which our public affairs have been run to the level where you visit some regions and think you are in a first world country. You visit others and you think that you are in prehistoric times. You have heard the facts placed before us, of counties, like Mandera, being able to carry out the first caesarean birth because of devolution; 51 years after Independence. You have also heard cases of this county seeing the first inch of tarmac after devolution was started. Even those who have been Ministers of Government, for example, my sister Sen. Mugo and I, carry the collective guilt of having been unable to do what devolution is doing by looking at the whole country and making sure that equity becomes the norm other than the exception in dealing with national affairs. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, having reached that level, one then can speak without any fear of contradiction like I am doing, that this House must participate in budget-making at all levels. Whether it is the 85 per cent of the trillions that are left at the centre or the paltry Kshs283 billion that goes to the counties, whatever the national Government is holding is also being expended irrationally and inequitably, is also being spent in the counties. So, we, as Senators, must have a representation at the table when those trillions of shillings are being shared out. You have heard, seen and known how Ministries like Devolution and Planning are busy churning out contracts for construction of water pumps, dams and so on, which are devolved functions. You have heard how the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources is clawing back functions that have been devolved under Schedule Four. You have heard how the national Government is procrastinating on the issue of health to the extent that you go to counties today and health personnel have not received salaries for the last six months. These are the same people that are supposed to build a healthy nation to become a productive nation. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, you have seen how the national Government has stuck to agricultural issues like a tick on a cow, including procurement of the so called subsidized fertilizer that farmers do not get to see. They purchase subsidized fertilizer and end up distributing it to the privileged few in privileged areas when the bulk of the small farmers in Machakos, Makueni, Trans-Nzoia, Nyeri and wherever cannot access this fertilizer. The only reason that is happening is because we are not involved. We are the protectors and defenders of interests of counties. So, we will ask pertinent questions as to how the fertilizer is shared, how the budget is being administered and so on. We will insist on equitable sharing of national resources. That is why it is critical that we participate in budget making to know that the little that we have sent to counties, how much of the bulk that is left at the centre will go to Migori, Kiambu, Vihiga and every county. Unless this is changed, we will have devolution as a concept, constitutional provision and mirage. This is because until and unless we nourish and nurture this baby called devolution, it will very soon be very visible that the child has contracted kwashiorkor, scabies, excessive 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."
}