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{
    "id": 813490,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/813490/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 234,
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    "content": "has been done for many years by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) also goes down to the counties as per Part 2 of the Fourth Schedule. This is because we need to ensure that there is evidence-based policy making. This is something that personally I espouse, because my background is in public policy. It also helps us to ensure that we have proper projects that are informed by statistics. Currently, if you look at the County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) and the Annual Development Plans, they are actually wish lists. They are about people meeting and agreeing that these are their priorities without necessarily being informed by evidence. Madam Temporary Speaker, I remember being asked in class whether we would prefer a government led by professors – who come up with evidence based policies – or whether we would take the nominal role of the first one hundred people in a given locality. The answer was always that we would go with the first one hundred people. Why? Because sometimes when you have a lot of evidence, people tend to be polemic and they take stands based on ideological underpinnings or whatever orientations based on their disciplines. Be that as it may, it has been consistently proven that statistics and data make us increase our accuracy and probability of success, because as somebody said, experience is yesterday’s answers to today’s problems. It is, therefore, very important that we have such a Bill. Madam Temporary Speaker, when you look at the procedure established in terms of the structures, you have a situation where you have depoliticized the process. You have technical people who are going to be looking at the data so provided, while the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) still maintains the principal role of ensuring international standards are attained based on the current role. In fact, an issue arose about which Bill takes precedence; is it this County Statistics Bill 2018 or the already existing Statistical Bill? However, we were unanimous that this is the most current and up to date Bill, which seeks to implement the provisions of Part 2 of the Forth Schedule of the Constitution. Madam Temporary Speaker, one of the things that come out in this Bill is the fact that we have been having variance of data. When you look at the development index, we have had situations where certain parts of this country have been analysed to represent certain countries in this world that are more developed than others. This is the essence of inequality and the mantra around marginalisation. Therefore, this Bill will help us know the situation on the ground in terms of development, because some of the pockets of development are sometimes inflated. It will also help us know the real poverty index in this country, county by county. For the first time this year, we have seen the KNBS releasing the household survey that was conducted in 2016, which is county-based. This will help us, as this House, as we debate the marginalisation policy, the equitable share of revenue and the conditional grants. When you generalize, you realize that sometimes, you may not get the real picture. So, I believe that this will not be misused by people who want to use their own statistics to get more monies for development that is disproportionate to the population and the real situation on the ground. Madam Temporary Speaker, there is a penalty for a staffer or any officer who may mislead the public with regard to giving false or inaccurate data. This is commendable so that we do not end up with a situation like I have just described. 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."
}