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{
    "id": 812061,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/812061/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 151,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Eng.) Hargura",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 827,
        "legal_name": "Godana Hargura",
        "slug": "godana-hargura"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I join my colleagues in commending Sen. Wako for coming up with this Bill. If you look at the Constitution of Kenya 2010, one of the main clear benefits we got, as country, is devolution. If you look at Article 174 on devolution, which is also quoted in this Bill, it states that one of the objects of devolution is:- “to give powers of self-governance to the people and enhance the participation of the people in the exercise of the powers of the State and in making decisions affecting them;” That is one reason why Kenyans came up with the new Constitution. This is to ensure that the resources which have been distributed from the centre are decentralized to the counties, where the citizens will make decisions on how those resources will be used to their benefit. For that to happen, you must have the necessary structures. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the County Governments Act clearly states the levels of service delivery where you have the sub-county, the wards even up to the village. That will set up the structures which the county government will use to engage the public in coming up with the necessary modes of engagement. In doing so, the public can get information early enough, digest it and consult at their own level. When the authority – in this case the County Government, the County Executive or County Assembly – will be going round conducting public participation, the public already knows what is there and they would have sat at their level, even if it is in the village. Unfortunately five years down the line, there are some counties – mine included – who have not established the village units. That already disadvantages the residents at that level, because they will not have access to government services in terms of having government representatives like the ward or village administrators and councils. It is through these representatives that they can deliberate, beforehand, what their priorities are. By the time they are required to participate, they would already have discussed their priorities and, that way, they will make meaningful contribution, even if it is the preparation of the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP), which is a document that the county government has to adhere to during its five year term. This will help counties not to implement projects outside the CIDP. However, if the CIDPs are not developed through consultation, then we have a situation where we are forcing the public to take projects which are developed elsewhere. It is very important to have an Act or legislation on this, so that the public servants are given direction and a framework under which they should operate. They should understand what public participation is. This Bill defines the objects which are very clear and noble. It also has the guiding principle. It has not limited it to a particular institution, but given the institution room to make its own regulations. This is a law that we need to pass so that the county governments can adopt and come up with their specific 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."
}