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{
    "id": 644384,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/644384/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 200,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "not come on a silver plate; it calls for struggle. This is the time that we need to sit and carry out development. We will not allow the people who pull strings the other side while we are developing. We are happy because we have a new Constitution. Since then, we have had a lot of development taking place in our counties. However, to the disappointment of some of us, some of the counties have governors who have taken the development of counties like their own development. Some of them have become kings at the expense of peasants. They are misusing the money. The President asked us to ensure that the governors are accountable. The billions of shillings that are allocated to the counties belong to “Wanjiku” . They are taxpayers’ money. Therefore, such monies should be protected. Instead of doing that, what we see in counties are governors who are misusing it. Some of them are buying beds worth millions and others are putting up gates of over Kshs 10 million. All these are at the expense of mortuaries which have no refrigerators. Some of them are putting up palaces as if they will be there forever. This is an important reminder to all the governors that what they are misusing is our money and they should be ready to account for it. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, they are using the same money to entrench themselves in their positions. A governor has a fleet of cars with chase cars and others are used by their wives. In fact, others are assigned to maids. Imagine that is our money being misused. The Senate should ask the Judiciary to toe the line because they should not accept everything. As a result, our efforts are frustrated. Therefore, we cannot do much in terms of transforming what we want. In that case, we will not move ahead. These governors should be tamed so that they realise that the money they are using belongs to the public. In Kirinyaga County, for instance, we have big dams being constructed. That is what we want the Government to support. When a river dam is built, it will support the settlers in Mwea Irrigation Scheme. We wish to see Kirinyaga County transformed from what it has been to an industrial county. However, you find the electorate is after money and when they are given money, they sing the song of the governor. That is what is happening in every county. The governors want more money for road construction, but you find that there are no roads being constructed. Instead, they are putting up magnificent buildings so that they squander the money. Why can they not use the money to purchase drugs and develop the mortuaries which have collapsed? The money should also be used to purchase land for the landless. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we need to tell the governors that they are misusing their positions. No wonder most of the Senators are going out there to unseat them, and I wish them the best of luck so that we can see a better transition of our devolution. Without unseating governors who are in power now, this country will not be the way we would like it to be; like the “tigers” of south-eastern Asia. I need to remind Members here that we have a role to play which is already inscribed in the Constitution. We are going to fulfill our mandate as provided for in the Constitution. Once that happens, the courts should not be between the governors or the county governments and the Senate. That is the frustration we are suffering. 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"
}