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{
    "id": 674072,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/674072/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 316,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Eng.) Muriuki",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2559,
        "legal_name": "Stephen Muriuki Ngare",
        "slug": "stephen-muriuki-ngare"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I stand to support this Bill. Whether we agree with this Bill or not, we must all congratulate Sen. (Prof.) Lonyangapuo for bringing out these issues for discussion. Our Constitution is skeletal in nature like all constitutions and it includes this aspect of county Governments. Within the County Government Act, we have the Sub-County, Ward and Village administrators. However, we do not have functions of these administrators clearly spelt out. The end result of it is that, at the moment, not only are we competing with the administrators; District Officers, District Commissioners and the chiefs from the National Government, they do not have, in practice, any function. The only ones we see on the ground are part of the campaign machinery of the current governors. To that extent, it is important for this Senate to discuss the issue and come to a conclusion whether we agree with Sen. (Prof.) Lonyangapuo in full or in part. This is a topical subject which the nation requires to look into. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, among the things which the Bill has brought out is the way these administrators are recruited and the kind of qualifications they should have. The fact that the Bill has proposed that they exit with the governor at the end of the term of the governor is a small issue. Even in the national Government, we have had people like D.C or County Commissioners in the past, who have been recalled to occupy any other Government office. I urge the sponsor of this Bill, Sen. (Prof.) Lonyangapuo, to consider an amendment so that instead of these officers exiting at the end of five years, they should be retained in the service. This is a government. The County Government has probably 3,000 to 4,000 members of staff. These officers who are either diploma or degree holders can occupy any other position. However, they should continue being ward administrators without the concurrence of the incoming governor. I urge the sponsor of the Bill to reconsider sending them home. The other option could have been for the Bill to spell out clearly the send-off package. In any case, we should do it for many more members of the county governments. As we have them now, the county governments are not like the national government where an officer can go to many other positions. Many of them would like to leave and do something else. If we have a proper good package for these administrators or any other officers in the county governments, it is quite in order. We are at Second Reading Stage. I call upon my colleagues to pass this Bill the way it is. In principle, let us say yes to the Bill. Many Members have issues with Clause No.139, the one of going home. If any of us has reservations about a particular clause, let us consider it at the Committee Stage before we go to the Third Reading. This way, we 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"
}