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{
    "id": 639272,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/639272/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 142,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. A.B. Duale",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 15,
        "legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
        "slug": "aden-duale"
    },
    "content": "Going to the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (BPS), the total sharable revenue is estimated at Kshs1,380,199 million. This comprises of what the national Government and the county governments will get. The National Government will get close to Kshs1,093,899.00 million, while the county government equitable share is estimated outside the conditional grant that the county governments will get, which is estimated at Kshs280,300.00 million. Above all, there is constitutional provision for the Equalisation Fund at Kshs6,000.00 million, which is for 14 specific counties. Regarding the Equalisation Fund, there was a misinterpretation. It is not just the Kshs6 billion that is contained in this Budget. It should be from the time the Constitution of Kenya 2010 became operational. I am sure that the necessary correction will be made. The total of the amounts due to the Equalisation Fund for that period will be given to the 14 counties, which include my county. It is not because of any favour, but Garissa County is one of the most marginalised counties in this country. We have never produced a president, prime minister or a vice-president since Independence. That is why we are marginalised. It is only now that one of the 14 marginalised counties has produced a Speaker and a Leader of the Majority Party. I want to thank the Jubilee Coalition for giving the pastoralists and the 14 counties those two positions. Those who were there before did not do anything like that. They should not blame the Jubilee Government. The memorandum which is appended to this Bill clearly demonstrates how the national Government has taken into account the criteria set out in Article 203 of the Constitution. Further, this Bill sets the revenue allocation for county governments for Financial Year 2016/2017 at 30.5 per cent of the recently audited accounts of revenue as approved by Parliament during Financial Year 2013/2014. The Jubilee Administration, under the leadership of President Uhuru Kenyatta, can be credited as the first Government that has implemented a devolved system of government in Kenya. One of the biggest achievements of the Jubilee Administration is that we had the opportunity to implement devolution. The Constitution sets the revenue share for county governments at 15 per cent but, from Financial Year 2013/2014 through to Financial Year 2016/2017, we have raised that allocation to more than 30 per cent. This year, the amount allocated to the county governments is 30.5 per cent, based on the audited accounts presented to this House by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and approved in the Financial Year 2013/2014. This allocation is above the minimum constitutional requirement of 15 per cent. That must be very clear. That is a deliberate attempt by the Jubilee Administration, under the able leadership of President Uhuru Kenyatta. In accordance with the provisions of Article 202(2) of the Constitution, the county governments may be given additional allocations from the national Government share of revenue as conditional grants or un-conditional grants. If you look at the Division of Revenue Bill, 2016 before us this afternoon, you will see that the national Government has set aside additional resources as conditional grants to counties for specific national Government interventions. Hon. Members will agree with me that the national Government has intervened in certain devolved functions. Examples are health and water sectors. I have no intention of becoming a governor, but I know what is happening in our counties. Certain services are not rendered very well. We must look at the institutions that are responsible for those services. The national Government, in The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}