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{
    "id": 704666,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/704666/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 252,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Lesuuda",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13122,
        "legal_name": "Naisula Lesuuda",
        "slug": "naisula-lesuuda"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I beg to move that The County Statistics Bill (Senate Bill No.11 of 2016) be now read a Second Time. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, since we passed the Constitution, this is the first time we are implementing the devolved system in our country. It is important that as we continue to execute the mandate of the Constitution in regard to county governments, we should make laws that empower devolution. This Bill will breathe life to Part 2 of the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution that sets out the functions of the county governments. One of the functions that have been devolved to the county governments is county planning and development, which includes statistics, planning, land survey and mapping, boundaries and fencing, housing, electricity and gas, reticulation and energy regulation. Statistics is a very important function in any nation, especially in the counties. This Bill also expressly stipulates how statistics will be collected and disseminated to the public. Most importantly, it sets out how these statistics will be used in decision making in our counties. There have been various reservations regarding the kind of information that the county statistics office will collect. The Bill clearly states that the county statistics office will look at the functions that have been devolved. It will not look into matters to do with population. It was a concern of many that we should not give the counties this important function. This Bill will ensure that we get statistics of the functions that have been devolved to counties to ensure that it influences the executive, the county assemblies and members of the public to get information about the functions that have been devolved. This is something that we should have had in place earlier. Without information and statistics, we cannot make scientifically proven decisions in the counties. In our counties, for example, we have devolved the Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE). The decision by the county executives in terms of the population of an ECDE institution and where it should be located should be informed by scientific research. We should not use resources haphazardly in the counties without having information that guides the executive to make some of the decisions. Information on the health facilities showing the numbers of staff and what is needed should be available to any person. For example, a Senator should be able to walk to the county office and find out, for example, whether water supply has improved since the county government came into office. We should also get credible information on issues to do with agriculture in the counties. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in some of the counties, governors go round saying that since they got into office, they have been able to do A, B, C and D, using certain funds. However, there is no method of verifying whether what they say is true. It is not easy to ascertain whether our funds are used appropriately in the manner they should. Therefore, if we have this office in our counties, it will ensure that we get the information that we need. 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"
}