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{
    "id": 768705,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/768705/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 190,
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    "content": "flooding in this City and destroys infrastructure. We need to talk about this governance structure and that is why this policy recommends that there must be participatory policy formulation in every county, where we have cities and urban areas. There is need also to establish the National Urban Coordination Council, so that people can discuss urban areas. In the previous County Councils there were the urban councils which faced challenges. There must be room for the county government of Mombasa to have a person who can link with the person in charge of urbanization in Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Kitale, Iten and Kapsabet. There will be need for exchange of ideas. For example, what partnerships can take place in Eldoret, Kapsabet and Iten? What experiences can we learn from other places? For example, even when developing stadiums, can these three counties come together and agree on what to do for their urban areas? If North Rift were to host CECAFA games, for example, it would mean that there would be fields in Iten, Eldoret and Kapsabet. It becomes easy to do that kind of partnership, exchange ideas and work together. That is why our Governors who are talking about North Rift economic bloc, South Rift economic bloc and Lake Region economic bloc must use that opportunity to think about the issue of establishing coordinating frameworks. With regard to promoting public/private partnerships in the urban developments, we need also a broad-based management of the city. If you look at the Urban Areas and Cities Act, it provided even for a resident of the urban area to be part of that management; to sit in a committee. Whether it was an urban area, city or a municipality, there were provisions of persons to be involved in the management of those urban areas. We need to strengthen the capacity of county governments to engage in urban management and development. There is need to develop guidelines to improve stakeholders participation, provide equal and relevant information in the urban community. Madam Temporary Speaker, the other issue that is very critical in the management of urban areas is the part of urban finance. The county governments complain so much about lack of enough money from the national Government going to the counties. However, they forget that they also have a responsibility to collect a lot of revenue. The urban areas collect huge amounts of money. For example, Nairobi City County’s collection as the Governor told us, has improved by almost 200 per cent. If you calculated what an urban area can get in an area like Nairobi City County, it gets more than what can be allocated from the sharable revenue. It is therefore important that financial management systems of counties, particularly in the urban areas must be such that they promote transparency. Otherwise, if people are going to collect money and later bank what they want, take parking fees, account for some and leave out some, we will not make progress. Financial management systems of urban areas must be strengthened. We must develop mid-term plans and strategies for infrastructure development and service provision; a strategy for investment promotion. How do you promote these urban areas? How do you create a city in Elgeyo-Marakwet County? Instead of The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes"
}