HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 729915,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/729915/?format=api",
"text_counter": 184,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Musimba",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 1804,
"legal_name": "Patrick Mweu Musimba",
"slug": "patrick-mweu-musimba"
},
"content": "Into the Budget, I must commend a lot of the stances that we have taken, but we need to also focus on how to get innovative as a nation within our Civil Service and our populace. This is a challenge I have posed to several governors that in the event they are pushed to the wall and we have to have a balanced Budget where we have to budget only what we actually produce, what is the future of devolution? Will it be swamped with only recurrent expenditures and nothing for development? That is a challenge that needs to be embraced, so that each citizen; the 45 million of us, starts thinking how we become entrepreneurial. How do we produce? What are the opportunities within our sectors? We are simply thinking about consumption and little about production. A lot of the sectors which we inherited at the turn of Independence, industries like fluorspar and cotton, are on their deathbed. We are not exporting. If we are not earning income from abroad, how well do we start talking about balancing our budgets and feeding into our budget deficits when there is a lot of pressure for foreign exchange? When you look at industries like the gambling industry, a lot of money is being appropriated outside which does not leave in the name of Kenya shillings, but in dollars. It means you start struggling. Our import covers which we are supposed to be keeping, which currently lie at around four-and-a-half months, will start dwindling because you are losing money in the tune of US$6 million to US$20 million a day. If I am an entrepreneur and I need to churn out my money, I am not going to take it in your local currency, but in the currency that appeases me in a global front. These are challenges which, as leaders, when talked in 2010 about the three pillars that will drive this great nation, namely, the political, social and economic pillars, we have to look at how each pillar contributes to our bottom line. How does politics enrich us? To this extent again, I must thank the Budget and Appropriations Committee because it took the bravest stance in doing an audit of what the 2010 Constitution is about. Having read the Report, you clearly see in us introducing devolution, we failed to recognise that devolution ought to be treated as a fourth arm of government. A lot of the inconsistencies which already occur in this place are because we do not really have a head of devolution and a lot of the governors look at the President as the 48th governor of Kenya as opposed to a substantive leader of the nation; the Head of State. When you are not subservient to someone and you believe you are sort of equals and you tell him “just do your part by giving us revenue and we will handle the rest”, then there is a disjoint. In terms of our national values, which are key to this nation, each arm of the Government is independent. The Executive is led through the Public Service Commission (PSC); the Legislature is led through the Parliamentary Service Commission (PARSCOM) and the Judiciary is led through the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). What stands for devolution? That is why there ought to be a devolved Civil Service Commission to look at the quotients of inter-county relations. Such commission would seek to establish the extent to which, for example, the people of Makueni County embrace their brothers from Turkana County. That is to say, for every single governor, we are creating opportunities for ourselves. However, we are ignoring the vibe that ought to hold this dear nation together; brotherhood amongst ourselves. Wherever you serve, your dedication should be to be of service to the Republic of Kenya and how to make this country greater. When time for review of the Constitution comes, we must take such thoughts into account. We should be looking at the powers of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). Currently, the SRC has the final word in terms of what your remunerations will be. The Commission for Revenue Allocation ought to play a greater role of 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."
}