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{
    "id": 784095,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/784095/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 289,
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    "content": "Basically, what this Act will do is to institutionalise what is already happening under the Department of Special Programmes and ensure that that can be tracked and implemented and that it is mandatory under Article 43 of the Constitution. In doing so, the authority must collaborate with relevant public entities, Ministries, committees at the county level, the civil society, the private sector and the donor community. When I talk of donor community, I do not mean international agencies. Individuals in this Republic can donate in support of various needy groups. That is one area I wonder about. Billionaires in this country do not do what the Bill Gates of this world do and I do not know where they take their money. I think they just keep it to their families and children. The culture of giving to the public except during harambees needs to be inculcated by those who have been blessed with lots of money. Such people can be part and parcel of those who collaborate with the Government to initiate the programmes. They also have to liaise with the National Social Assistance Authority established under the Social Assistance Act and create an e-platform to monitor such programmes. They must also collaborate with the county food security committees, promote diversification and the use of alternative methods of agriculture and livestock systems and so on, and so forth. There is only one question we need to ask ourselves, so that this issue is clarified. I am glad the Chairman who will second this Bill is here and will look at it at the Committee Stage. I am sure they are already looking at it because the report was committed to the Committee. We need to ensure that existing agencies and authorities co- exist with this authority. Is it possible to amend the other Acts using this one to collapse some of the authorities, so that we do not have too many parastatals? That is the only issue that needs to be checked in so far as this Bill is concerned so that we do not create so many parastatals because this one also will have staff, management and a board. That is wasting money that we need to solve the problem of food insecurity. We should know the place of the National Drought Management Authority and special programmes in the Ministries. I do not have all in my mind now but I will ask the Chairman, because he is the one who will second this Bill, to ensure that their committee expeditiously calls the necessary experts dealing with special programmes under the Ministry of Devolution and Planning and the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation to come and inform us how this authority will co-exist with existing programmes and authorities. We need to cut down on overheads and focus on using public resources for the good of this great Republic. The authority, just like all the other authorities, shall consist of:- (a) a chairperson appointed by the President with the approval of Parliament; (b) the Principal Secretary responsible for matters relating to agriculture or the designated representative; (c) the Principal Secretary responsible for matters relating to livestock or the designated representative; (d) the Principal Secretary responsible for matters relating to finance of the designated representative; (e) the Principal Secretary responsible for matters relating to the Coordination of national government or the designated representative; The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}