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{
    "id": 609932,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/609932/?format=api",
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    "content": "unconstitutional and it must be aligned to the Constitution, there is no option because that is the right route. I have been one of the supporters of the CDF. I did not want it to go but today, I am beginning to question why it should be there. This is because, when I heard the speech that the CDF will now exist in the counties only for national functions; when you look at the functional functions, it is perhaps only education and the police yet these are departments which are fully-fledged and can run on their own. I wonder why a district education officer or a county education officer cannot be allocated those resources to administer them without the Member of Parliament. The CDF initially covered all projects; health, water, roads and many others. Since those other functions have been devolved and funds must follow functions, then the CDF should have been reduced accordingly to follow those functions that are allocated to the county governments. Unfortunately, it was increased. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the reason as to why I think the CDF should be looked at again, is because it is the carrot that is used to compromise and divert attention of the Members of the National Assembly from the real issues, compromise them in order not to look at other things and in order to buy them to oppose issues and programmes that are of benefit to this country. As you can see, the CDF has been increased. It is untouched although functions have been devolved. The Senator for Nandi County has said that there are sectors that have been given too much money in this Budget and the Members of the National Assembly have not said it. I do not know what those from Rift Valley will go to say at home because that is an agricultural area. Allocations for fertilizer inputs and purchase of grains have been reduced while those of other sectors have been increased. This year, we had a problem procuring and getting fertilizer to the people yet the Government spent not less than Kshs4 billion. The amount in this current Budget has been reduced to Kshs2 billion. Money allocated for the purchase of maize has also been reduced. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the President, during the agricultural show, said that allocations for agriculture would be increased to not less than 10 per cent of the national budget according to the Maputo Declaration. However, I do not see that policy statement reflected anywhere in the budget. I call upon my brothers and sisters in the National Assembly that beyond CDF, let them also go back and relook at the Budget. As we are forming the committee to look at the Budget, the proposed Select Committee will not look at only the reductions but at the whole budget and tell Kenyans what is really at stake and what the issues are. The same Committee as well as other Committees of this House will oversight how that money will be utilized to the end of the financial year. This is because---"
}