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{
    "id": 787914,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/787914/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 559,
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    "content": "Despite the fact that the planting season has started, farmers do not have adequate farm inputs to ensure that we have a sustainable food production. Some of the officials of the Ministry must go to the ground and see for themselves the challenges facing farmers and provide solutions because food is one of the Big Four Agenda of the President. I hope some of these issues will be handled expeditiously to avoid a scenario where we set up strategic grain reserves and there is no grain. Where will the money go? Madam Temporary Speaker, let me now comment on the issue of prudent use of resources that we are disbursing to the counties. I have seen the Auditor General’s Report of 2017/2018. It is sad that during an election year, most counties fall short on revenue collection. As the Senate, we are telling counties that they must be accountable and like Caesar's wife, be above suspicion before they get revenue from the National Treasury. From the revenue that they generate, we are getting allegations from some of the revenue collectors that governors demand Kshs1million every weekend from them to facilitate their mobility and their fundraising contributions. So, the loopholes in revenue collection at the counties must be sealed so that we have prudent use of resources. Madam Temporary Speaker, on prudent use of resources - as my colleagues have reiterated - moving forward, the present governors must ensure that they continue with projects. It is sad that in today’s newspapers, my county; Nandi County is in the limelight for wanting to demolish - according to the National Construction Authority - the Governor’s office which has consumed KShs150 million. We need to be serious and seal such loopholes so that, in future, a structure is not built then other people come and condemn it yet taxpayers’ money has been spent on the construction of the structure. Counties will have the correct priorities and we will not have cases of some counties buying fingerlings and throwing them in a river without proper planning and in others, people producing magazines instead of doing things like fertilizer allocation. Moving forward as the Senate, we must be proactive in our oversight roles. This should not be seen as a threat to governors. As governors implement projects, we must be there to ensure that there is proper oversighting. Therefore, the Senate must be given more resources to ensure that we deliver and execute our mandate - as somebody said - with military precision. On medical issues, we are all in agreement that even though we have a challenge in our counties in the health sector, we should address it once and for all. One of the President’s four pillars of administration is affordable healthcare. I hope the money will be directed to the right places so that this agenda is entrenched in the counties. Then, we will have the best medical care in the counties and there will be no need for people to go to India and other places to seek medical attention. On the Equalization Fund, because the process has started, I hope in future, places like Tinderet in Nandi County where I come from, that have challenges will be included in the Fund so that there is fairness. Some areas have received the equalization funds based on merit, but moving forward, we should ensure that such places are brought to focus. I support this Bill. We must devolve development and call upon the governors and all the key stakeholders to use money in a prudent way. When the Senators will be facilitated to do oversight, we should ensure that when the Controller of Budget Report for 2018/2019 comes out, we will have less wastage of resources in our counties. 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."
}