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{
    "id": 606230,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/606230/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 58,
    "type": "other",
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    "content": "and necessary for oversight. One critical thing for us Senators is to play our oversight role effectively. This is not something that we are asking for from nowhere. It is entrenched in Article 96 of the Constitution. It is something that we should do. Provisions have been made and directions given on how that money should be utilised. Detailed regulations were put into place. So, it was not to be a Fund of monies without us having clarity about what was to happen with the money. As much as both Houses passed the mediated version of the Bill, the element of the figures and finally the shocker defeats the whole process of mediation in the first place. If we will have a mediation process that is not open and does not lead through from one aspect to another very clearly, then, obviously, we have a law that will be put in place that both Houses are not happy with. That is exactly what we are avoiding. Moving forward, that is the aspect that needs to be tightened so that as we move into mediation and make suggestions about the figures, there is clarity. We should not wait until the last minute where a change has happened. That creates a lot of confusion and takes us back to the drawing board; like this situation that we found ourselves in. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there is a report that has been done over time by the Auditor- General’s Office. It gives an audit of the Constitution one year later. The report goes on to indicate areas where we have done well and where we have not done well. I pose that the areas where we have not done well are areas where oversight roles have not been played effectively. Those are the areas where we need to delve into on a more serious note. We are not yet at 50 per cent execution of devolution. We do not want this country to reach a point where we feel that devolution is not succeeding. However, there will always be loopholes for us long us oversight is not played. It is one thing to receive money and another thing to account for the money. We have already said that in this House, especially regarding the county assembly level. It has been very difficult for us to do maximum oversight on the counties and the county governments. Therefore, at the Senate level, it becomes more critical for us to move into oversight at a higher gear. It is very difficult to do that at a higher gear without the necessary funds. Mr. Speaker, Sir, when it comes to the key areas of security that we have talked about, many times, finding solutions for this is also a question of money. Leadership goes with accountability. How do we make leaders accountable for the monies that they receive? Accountability will require us to put up structures and offices at county level so that we can ask the questions that Sen. Wetangula was talking about earlier. We can go to hospitals and ask what is happening there. I remember when I was in Kwale County, I went to Msambweni Hospital. I discovered that there were patients who had to pay for their medicines. There were people who had to pay so that they could have their patients taken care of. It is the relatives to patients who made the requests. These are things that we need to get rid of immediately and ask about the money that has been allocated. Why is the medicine not available? Why do people still have to pay for treatment? This will ensure that we have a continuous form of evaluation and monitoring at various points. We can avoid the kind of situations where we have to wait till the end to do evaluation. 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."
}