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{
    "id": 729903,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/729903/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 172,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Wakhungu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1889,
        "legal_name": "Chrisantus Wamalwa Wakhungu",
        "slug": "chrisantus-wamalwa-wakhungu"
    },
    "content": "given that provision of the two years in the PFM Act for us to be able to complete those projects within that particular timeframe. If we are not going to adhere to that, you will find that many of our projects will go beyond. The Budget and Appropriations Committee needs to look into it as we move. Another critical issue is about agriculture. In this country, food insecurity is a big problem. This is a country that cannot feed its own. We have problems. The drought is there. We know there is the aspect of climate change. It is the responsibility of the Government to come up with strategies that can mitigate these issues of food insecurity. When you go ahead, there is the Kshs900 million that we had for fertilizer subsidy. It should have been increased so that arable areas like Trans Nzoia or parts of Rift Valley which feed this country and have good rains have this subsidised fertilizer that can improve food production. We have seen the Galana Kulalu food project which has not added value. Many problems we have in this country as far as food insecurity is concerned are because of poor planning. The Committee went round and it is important that when you go round to hear opinions of people in this country, the sampling must be representative. The areas you went to do not give a true representation of this country. I really wish that next time when you do this, at least, go to the entire eight provinces that were there. You have only gone to areas that are around Nairobi. We wish to see the opinions of the people in the North Eastern regions or those in Busia and Budalangi for purposes of having a proper representation of the feeling. Again, there is this issue of the social nets. The elderly outside there are really suffering. I really wish that the Jubilee Government could have tried to increase the amount allocated to them so that the number of people who are vulnerable outside there and the elderly people, who cannot afford a meal a day, can be increased. This is because some of them are dying. We have even seen some of the prominent people dying. When I go to the villages in my constituency, we have very many elderly wazee and mamas who ask what happened to the money for the elderly. In fact, it is not being delivered there on time. There is a challenge which I think we need to look into in future. There is also the issue of village elders. I am told it came up in one of your public hearings. Village elders play a critical role as far as security is concerned. Where I come from they are called Bakasa . Bakasa are very important as far as security is concerned. I had wished that after the Budget and Appropriations Committee went out, they should have looked for ways to fund or give something small to the village elders. We have had motions on village elders come to this Parliament about three times. We had such Motions in the other Parliament and also in this Parliament. Because of the critical role that these village elders play, they must be given some honorarium. Some of them have families and children. They live in a sorry state and because of the work they do which plays a critical role as far as security is concerned, it would be good if we gave them an appreciation. The issue of going for public hearings is in line with Article 118 of the Constitution of involving the public in our legislative process. If you heard those people requesting for such things, then I have not seen that provision in this Report that the village elders should be compensated or given something. Since they are the ones handling the issues of security, it can be dangerous if we allow them to be compromised. The other issue is that this is a Budget of Kshs2.631 trillion. I am talking about the issue of devolution. We know very well that in line with the Constitution, when it comes to the division of revenue between the national Government and the county governments, we normally 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."
}