HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 605803,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/605803/?format=api",
"text_counter": 209,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "affected by this reduction. The allocations to them are a drop in the ocean. We sometimes have to ask ourselves whether in the allocation of revenue, as we debate this very important aspect of division and county allocation of revenue, whether we have put priorities right in terms of counties. We want to send a message to the counties that although we are sending them a drop in the ocean, all is not lost. From pronouncements made yesterday, I can see that we are on our way to Canaan. Sooner than later, the money will start flowing the way that it should. Counties have no excuse for spending the little pittance that we are sending them because we have now passed the regulations under the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act. They now have a formula of how they should send the monies to counties. On the issue of ceilings on budgets, most of the issues have been solved. County assemblies have been told what to do. In fact, the Committee on Finance, Commerce and Budget has provided a formula in their request on whether they want extra funding. There should be no quarrels like the one witnessed in my county, Makueni County, where people are arguing whether the apples are red or the bananas are yellow. Thirdly, Madam Temporary Speaker, we must tell counties that under Article 209, they have a mandate to raise revenue. So, as we are sending them this allocation under the County Allocation of Revenue Bill, they have an obligation to raise revenue. We are aware of infamous counties like Nairobi, Mombasa and others who are doing something called Appropriation-In-Aid (AIA). They receive and spend. As a result, a lot of money is being pilfered and misused, but there are no services at the grassroots. I hope Governor Kidero is listening because Nairobi County has received the lion’s share of revenue on roads. On page 105, National Urban Transport Improvement Project, Nairobi County, is the only one that has received an allocation of Kshs5.2 billion. If he is not listening, then somebody should tell him. I am glad that Sen. Sonko is here. In addition, Nairobi County has been allocated another Kshs1 billion for missing link roads and motorist transport. As Nairobi County is being favoured, we want to tell them that Kenyans living in Nairobi are tired of potholes, traffic jams and driving in a city that looks like a village. We are going to look out for these things. Against the backdrop of what we are allocating, we want to tell the national Government that we are watching carefully. They have increased domestic borrowing as well as foreign borrowing. All these debts are impacting on the money that we are allocating to counties. They are spending money that they do not have. They have signed contracts in excess of the money they have been allocated. We are watching them carefully. Madam Temporary Speaker, in the schedule on page 107 of this Bill, there are specific allocations given to Rural Roads Rehabilitation 2000 Programme. Five counties have been allocated these funds under conditional allocation. Embu County has been allocate Kshs100 million, Tharaka-Nithi County, Kshs300 million; Meru County, Kshs 200 million, Machakos County, Kshs180 million and Makueni County, Kshs220 million. We would like to see this money properly utilized. We do not want to hear, like we did this financial year, through the President and other sources that an allocation that has"
}