Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 701406,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/701406/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 248,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "have evaluated the capacities of each county so that functions are given to counties once we have assessed that they have the capacity to carry them out. That is the concept captured in the Constitution. It talks about asymmetrical devolution. This will ensure that we do not have situations where a county government is given a function that it is unable to perform. However, consciously, this House agreed that we would not go in that direction: Politically allocating responsibilities to different counties; having a situation where one county or a set of counties are given a function and another set of counties are denied that function. However, with the benefit of hind sight, the drafters of this Constitution had a point in talking about devolution that was not symmetrical. As we speak, we have counties that have been unable to carry out some of the core mandates as per the Constitution. What is even more astonishing is that those counties are unable to carry out functions given to them by the Constitution but you see them attempting to carry out national Government functions. Within the education sector, universities, secondary and primary schools remain the responsibility of the national Government. Early Childhood Development (ECD), village polytechnics and homecraft centres are the responsibility of county governments. We have seen county governments expending their resources and energy towards establishment of public universities, while they are unable to build ECD centers. This kind of misplaced priorities where county governments in their wisdom – or evident lack of it – allocate resources and spend their energy--- You see a governor running around for one or two years in the name of championing the establishment of a public university. If you visit primary schools where ECD centers are, they have built just one class room. We know that unlike our days and many of those governors’, ECD was only one class. You went to an ECD class for only one year and then graduated to Class One. Nowadays, ECD takes three years. If you have to support ECD, then you have to build three class rooms. If you went to a primary school anywhere in this country, the most likely dilapidated classroom would belong to ECD. The temporary structure made with mabati or timber will most likely be an ECD center. That is why the Constitution gave that responsibility to county governments. However, many county governments have neglected that exclusive mandate and then run around talking about infrastructure in secondary and primary schools, just because they seem to have in their minds that it is more politically rewarding to go for certain functions than others. That is why as we even discuss and approve this Report that seeks to finalise that process of transfer of functions as anticipated within the Constitution, we must remind county governments that they have their 14 core functions given to them by the Constitution. Before they can satisfy themselves that they have carried out those 14 functions – unless there is serious justification – county governments should be expending all their resources in sorting out and addressing their 14 functions. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, one of the other aspects within counties that we must address is that even as they are given the 14 functions, there is need for some order of priority. I appreciate that markets is one of the functions of county governments because trade and development is one of the functions given to counties. Therefore, within trade and development, you have several aspects to it including markets. However, it does not 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"
}