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{
    "id": 640779,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/640779/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 219,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is important that this position is anchored in law in terms of functioning. That is why provisions are made here; as in Clause 4. There are some people who say that if the Constitution does not provide for the functions of the deputy governor, why are you providing for it through an Act of Parliament? I would like to remind them that the parent Act, the County Governments Act, in Section 30 provides for the functions and responsibilities of a county governor. They are listed from 2(a) to (l). They were provided for because the Constitution had not listed all of them. The Constitution says that Parliament shall enact legislation to provide for more functions of offices that exist under the Constitution. This is captured under Article 200. Under this Article, we have the leeway for deputy governors to work with the governors. That is why I am proposing that Section 30 be amended to include deputy governors. While governors are working for the county, they should consult with the deputy governors. Consultation is a very important factor. Now, it is mandatory for us to consult the public before we do anything. Even in this House, public participation is compulsory. So, having a provision that says that a deputy governor needs to be consulted on matters – and consulting is not concurrence, it is not that he will agree with everything but it helps in building good manners and good provisions of leadership. As I said earlier, if common sense was common, there would be no need for law. If everybody was reasonable and civilized, we would not need law in this country. Law in most cases is made for the uncivilized and unruly. Therefore, because we know and there is evidence that there is a lot of unruly behaviour in the counties among our governors; that, deputy governors sit and read newspaper, are assigned non-constitutional duties, for instance, reading funeral speeches and attending harambees which are not provided for in any law to be performed on behalf of the governor. It is important that those who are paid colossal amounts of money using taxpayers’ money must have a responsibility and be consulted. I would like to make a second case before I read the amendment in Section 32. All the governors in this country are male. There are only seven women deputy governors. One would have said that, at least, you have deputy governors who are women. They will have a chance to grow leadership qualities by learning from what the governors are doing. This will show and demonstrate to the electorate that electing a man or a woman is not an issue as long as that person is competent. So, we have a situation where you want to celebrate the election of seven deputy governors – while campaigning the governor has said – in Embu County, the governor is an Embu while the deputy is a Mbeere but the additional value is that she is a Mbeere who is a woman. I am sure that when the governor was campaigning, he said; I have not only included the Mbeere people in this county government, I have also included the other gender so that in the table of discussion in my county government, we will not only have gender representation of the deputy governor but we will also have another community being represented. You will deny the people the benefit that you promised in the campaign if you lock this other gender out. So, they become, as is said in Nigeria, that deputy governors are just spare tyres. They are there and if the governor does not die – The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes"
}