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{
    "id": 719760,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/719760/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 64,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. M’uthari",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1576,
        "legal_name": "Joseph M'eruaki M'uthari",
        "slug": "joseph-meruaki-muthari"
    },
    "content": "this money benefit the people? Is this money for just a few and then the majority with their conditions remain the same? I am hoping that as we do this allocation, we will also invest monies at both the national and county level. The monies should be invested in the sectors that will generate and the sectors that will make the life of ordinary Kenyans better. Through this the Budget, we have monies like conditional grants for medical equipment. We have monies for the Level 5 hospitals. We can see the levels improving in terms of availing the tools and equipment at local hospitals. But, at the same time, we are also faced with the problem of the strikes by the doctors. All these things need to be aligned so that at the end of the day as we give resources, we consider who the people entrusted with the responsibilities are and what they are doing with it so that we can have a better system. We also have the county capacity building fund which is an important fund. It is my hope that this money can be used for civic education and strengthening intergovernmental relations as indicated here. There are instances where resources are not utilised properly. There is also duplication of roles and then energies are not directed where they are supposed to be directed. Six years after the inauguration of the Constitution, many Kenyans still believe that most of the development activities are with Members of the National Assembly without knowing most of the functions have been devolved to the county level. Many of these functions are at the lower level because of lack of awareness. Therefore, civic education will go a long way in increasing awareness. The other thing is strengthening the monitoring and evaluation which is very important for the citizens to understand their responsibilities, with regard to what they expect of their leaders at various levels. At the end of the day, like when we have the electioneering process, the citizens are able to ask their leaders questions based on various issues. But not on emotions as it appears at the moment where the guiding principle is who is able to amplify the emotions of the people. When you look at the conditional grants given to counties for road maintenance, these are matters of education to citizens. By the end of the day, these roads are classified properly and citizens are aware what roads are done by the national Government and the roads to be maintained by the county governments. The leaders across the board are supposed be responsible. When we look at certain areas where resources have been given, there are activities things like national irrigation; the question of enhancement of security is good. The Government is doing some good job, but still more can be done to improve the security by having equipment and resources for our security forces. There are also other funds for irrigation, fertiliser and other things. It is high time the Ministry of Agriculture or the Government identified zones within this country, instead of spending all the money in having one very big irrigation scheme like Galana, where irrigation can be improved. Instead of having one million acres in one particular area, it should have been much better if these funds were allocated across the country, so that the benefits of these funds can be spread. For food security, it is good to expand even the crop options. Where the Government has done well and has improved in terms of increasing the funds to take care of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), the old, the children’s welfare and the President’s bursary and the people with disabilities. This fund can be enhanced because it has been very helpful in terms of helping the most vulnerable. They are people whose dignity has been lifted up because of receiving this support. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}