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{
"id": 724402,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/724402/?format=api",
"text_counter": 100,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Nyenze",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 1987,
"legal_name": "Francis Mwanzia Nyenze (Deceased)",
"slug": "francis-mwanzia-nyenze"
},
"content": "On equitable sharing of revenue, there are counties that have lagged behind just because of lack of representation but, God has rewarded them with mineral resources. For example, there is Turkana which has a lot of oil. The company that is doing exploration is discovering oil with every strike; good amounts of oil and yet, when you look at the national TV, you see people starving in Turkana despite sitting on a lot of oil. They are sitting on a lot of water. I understand the biggest water reservoir - underground and fresh water - is found in Turkana. So, I wish that when Jane Wangui gets nominated to that position, she will allocate more money to those marginalised counties like Turkana, Kitui, Elgeyo/Marakwet, West Pokot, Kilifi and Kwale at the Coast, which have been left behind and poverty levels are very high. Devolution is the cornerstone of our development. The people of Kenya voted to devolve power and resources so that each county can develop. The Commission, in its wisdom, allocates monies equitably depending on the needs. Those areas that have developed so much before will be allocated less money than those areas that have been neglected by successive governments. I appeal to Jane Wangui to be very impartial on this. There are places where, if you visit, you will wonder whether they are in Kenya. It is not the wish of those people, but their development should come through CRA. I want to say that there is one thing that has pleased me on devolution and on the development of this country: President Uhuru Kenyatta never abandoned the projects that Kibaki started. You know there are leaders who come into power and they want to shut down everything that their predecessor did, and come up with their projects so that they can shine. If you look at the projects that were there during Kibaki’s time and were incomplete, like the Southern Bypass, Eastern Bypass, the Airport, Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), and so forth--- Although I am in the Opposition and I am the Leader of the Minority Party, I thank the President because he has carried on with those projects. Kenyans may not see, but he has carried them on. That is a plus. To the future leader of this country, whatever President Uhuru would have done, whether it is the Opposition or Jubilee, he should carry on with those projects so that this country can develop. It happens at the constituency level. A Member of Parliament (MP) is elected, he has initiated projects but, another MP wants to shut those ones out. In the process, the people suffer because you leave projects hanging. My appeal to the House is that we support her nomination. I am appealing to her: Let her allocation be based on a pro rata basis. Those areas that are too behind with development should get the lion’s share so that they can catch up with the rest of the country. Let the areas of North Eastern which have suffered since Independence be allocated more resources. I want this formula to be looked into. We cannot always look at the population density of an area. There are other parameters. You have to look at the general development of that area. It is a pity that there are areas in Kenya which saw the first tarmac road after devolution – that is after getting the new Constitution. These are the things that I want to appeal to Jane Wangui, as the Chair of CRA, to look into. Let there be equitable distribution of resources so that we are at par in development. We cannot develop one area and say Kenya is developed and think we are moving in the same direction. Even Nairobi, which is the Capital City, should not have all the projects. Let us see projects and money channelled through governors to develop areas like Wajir, Moyale, Isiolo, Kitui, Wote, Kilifi and Bungoma. Those are the disadvanged areas in Kenya and they should catch up with the rest. Hon. Speaker, I want to finish by saying that I have a lot of faith in Jane Wangui. Research has shown that women, if they have goodwill, do well than men when they are given responsibility. The reason is that men may develop the “do not care attitude”. But women have 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."
}