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{
    "id": 798989,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/798989/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 214,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mwaura",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13129,
        "legal_name": "Isaac Maigua Mwaura",
        "slug": "isaac-mwaura"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I beg to second the Motion as moved by my able Chairperson concerning the County Allocation of Revenue Bill. From the outset, there are some issues that were raised. We had robust engagements with various stakeholders in order to ensure that we have a Bill that speaks to their concerns within the devolution spectrum. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it will be noted that we have enhanced allocations to the counties to the tune of Kshs372 billion. Out of this, Kshs25 billion is conditional grants from the national Government for various functions of the county governments. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, allow me to highlight a few things because my Chairperson has canvassed most of them. One, there seems to be a challenge, especially in terms of disbursement of funds. That is why this Bill seeks to ensure that there is a monthly report to track how much money has gone to each county. Where there are delays and this is not happening in the right way, we have seen counties delaying paying their own members of staff. Some of the submissions that were made were to the effect that they should be allowed to borrow only for salaries. That has a cost effect. So, the disbursements for each and every month will ensure that we track these expenditures. There was also the issue of delayed payments to people who provided goods and services prior to the prolonged election period. Many businessmen and women who have supplied to the counties were not paid in time. Some of them, ended up seeing their property auctioned. The monthly report will be critical. It will also help us, as Senators, to monitor the allocation that has been given to county by county. We have also gone further in our deliberations with the office of the Controller of Budget to ensure that counties give them the interim reports of the monies that they have disbursed to them. There is a challenge because disbursements are also tied to expenditure. The discussions would be that counties are laying their own paper work so that by time the monies are released, they can easily go to whatever entities that they 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"
}