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{
    "id": 748308,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/748308/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 130,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Limo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1915,
        "legal_name": "Joseph Kirui Limo",
        "slug": "joseph-kirui-limo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this important Bill. I know this is an issue because we had already passed this stage, but because of procedural issues, we are back. This is a time when, as a country, we should actually decide what happens with such Bills. Whereas we have mediation between the National Assembly and the Senate, it is important to have a sustainable way of resolving the issues because more often, it is very rare for any Bill to move out of the National Assembly and come back the way it was from the Senate. I call upon the two Houses of Parliament to look for a way of doing house-keeping early, so that we can have a common stand especially when it comes to Bills like the Division of Revenue Bill which is of great national importance. We cannot hold the country at ransom when one House rejects such kind of a Bill and it goes around. Suppose the Budget was not done earlier? The country can be held hostage for a long time without service delivery because of disputes between the two Houses. So, as we discuss this, we should make the country aware that there is a serious problem whenever these two Houses do not agree. That begs the question whether the two Houses in this country are necessary. To me, they are not because the work of the Senate is duplicated at the county level by the county assemblies. Therefore, in terms of oversight, county assemblies, if given enough capacity, can do what the Senate does. At the end of the day, what we pass here, the Constitution says that all Bills must be passed by the National Assembly. So, at the end of the day, what we do and what the Senate does is a duplication. Therefore, we need to rethink this in future because if we are saying that the Senate talks on behalf of counties and if their work is only to come and bring conflict between the two Houses, then it is unnecessary. Therefore, this Division of Revenue Bill is very important and has been done well. I want to bring the country to speed that the national Government has tried. Right now, we are talking about almost 35 per cent of the national revenue going to counties. At the same time, the national Government supports very serious projects which are being done at the county level. Among them is the medical equipment leased on behalf of the county governments. Though earlier county governments had refused to take them, they are doing a great job. Right now, counties which have fitted the machines are offering state of the art services to wananchi. That is very good."
}