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{
    "id": 803465,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/803465/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 352,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, it is time that we focused on developing legislation that will fully enhance devolution. Dr. Kofi Annan once said that knowledge is power, information is liberation and education is the premise of progress in every society and family. Those words are echoed by Article 35 of our Constitution which gives every Kenyan the right to access information. It says- “Every citizen has the right of access to- (a) information held by the State; and (b) information held by another person and required for the exercise or protection of any right or fundamental freedom.” Madam Temporary Speaker, we are all aware that many things happen in this country where, in most cases, there are transactions that take place. You may sell your land. After selling your land, you decide to do away with the title deed. The person who has bought that parcel of land goes ahead with all the transactions but you secretly know that, that person does not have the knowledge of how to pursue the entire process of getting a title deed. You then go and report that you have lost your title deed and you publish it in the Kenya Gazette . Within a period of time, you can apply for another one. That is deceptive. With this Bill, all that will be a thing of the past. That information will be readily available. The county governments will not only get an opportunity to publish their own Bills, but it will also help enhance or build capacity for those Members of the County Assemblies (MCAs). Recently, we were entertained by one of our Senators who said that most MCAs lack capacity. By the fact that they have to publish this locally, it will encourage them to work and push their agenda. It will also encourage county governments to invest in building capacity of their MCAs so that they can take pride in publishing Bills in their own county printers. I see this as an added value because we know that in all our schools, there is a child out there who says, “When I grow up, I want to be a printer.” If that child wants to be a Government Printer, it will be very difficult because there is only one position. However, we are now creating more positions; 47 of them. This will create more jobs in the Office of the County Printer. There will be more people getting jobs in each and every county. People will also play a role in the development of their counties because it will give the county governments the opportunity to even publish their County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs). It will also help people know the counties from which they get these appointments. When those appointments are published in the Kenya Gazette, not everyone gets an opportunity to see who filled a particular position. Madam Temporary Speaker, this Bill will enhance more of other policy statements. It will give an opportunity for a governor when he or she has something very important to share with his or her citizens. Instead of coming to Nairobi and queuing at the Government Printer, they can just take advantage of their own county printers and print them there. When it comes to information sharing, we are deprived in this country. People do not even understand the difference between a newspaper and the Kenya Gazette . I 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."
}