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{
    "id": 708512,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/708512/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 292,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sang",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 907,
        "legal_name": "Stephen Kipyego Sang",
        "slug": "stephen-kipyego-sang"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise to support this Motion. Sen. Kiraitu had not made a request and so I did. It should be clear that you gave me in order of merits and not on any other account. I wish to support by stating clearly that it is an important Motion. From Kshs200 billion, we are now sending more than Kshs300 to the counties. Devolution was about service delivery and that is why if you look at the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution, we gave the county governments the functions that touch on ordinary mwananchi . We are talking about Early Childhood Development (ECD), infrastructure for county roads and health care service provision. This is an agriculture economy and thus need for trade development in the counties. We gave them the mandate to deal with some of the important and crucial issues touching on ordinary mwananchi to the county governments Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the billions of money that we send to counties must be directed towards the same so that the citizens who voted for a new Constitution must benefit from it. If you look at the work of the Senate, the Constitution gives us three major roles. First, is protecting and serving the interests of the counties, sending resources to counties and oversight. This House, with regard to legislating to support devolution, has done exceptionally well. However, we have had a challenge between us and the National Assembly. We now have over 28 Bills, approved and passed by this House that are pending before the National Assembly. I have sponsored four Bills that are now at the National Assembly. They have never had an opportunity to be scheduled for processing. That is why the responsibility of enacting legislation given to this House has been undermined by the National Assembly. We hope that moving forward, the Members of the National Assembly will appreciate that we have a two-Chamber Parliament. If counties and the sub-counties are supported by various legislations, they will go along away in ensuring that their constituents get the services they require. That is with regard to legislation. This House has continuously pushed the amount of resources sent to counties from an initial of Kshs200 billion to the current Kshs300 billion and more. It means this House has risen to the occasion and ensured that our county governments are resourced. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the third function given to this House is that of oversight. It is in furtherance of that particular responsibility that this House has had time to negotiate with the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), Members of the National Assembly and the National Treasury. It is sad that this Senate has been taken in circles. We have engaged all these institutions with utmost good faith but we got a rude shock 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"
}