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{
    "id": 813793,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/813793/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 80,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, once again for giving me an opportunity to comment on these issues that deal with the Maasai nation. On the issue of municipalities, there was a demonstration in Narok County two weeks ago. Today, as we stand here, the residents of Narok County have gone to court to try and seek redress because of the intention of the County Government of Narok to declare a municipality. These are issues that we must tackle in this House. Mr. Speaker, Sir, Sen. Orengo spoke about the Urban Areas and Cities Act. However, I am concerned about this Act because when you look at Section 9(4), it says:- “Notwithstanding the provision of Subsection 1, the county governor shall confer the status of a municipality to the headquarters of the county even where it does not meet the threshold specified under Subsection 3(a). This House can save this nation. The reason why these governors are trying to confer the status of municipality to their centres is because they will not access this money from the Kenya Urban Support Program (KUSP). It is not because they want to bring services closer to the people. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I sit in the Senate County Public Accounts and Investment Committee (CPAIC). Some of the challenges we are trying to deal with in terms of the audit queries have got to do with the amounts of money that these counties are raising. They are always over budgeting and overestimating their local revenues, yet they do not have the capacity to raise that money. These are facts; that our counties are not able to raise money to sustain themselves as required by this Act. The other issue of concern, Mr. Speaker, Sir, is public participation. Section 8 of this Act is very clear on how this process should be carried out; it is why I think we can stop this thing. An ad hoc committee must be set up to consider whether it should recommend this municipality to be declared to the Assembly or not. The composition of this ad hoc committee must include representatives from the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK), the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), the business community and the Kenya Institute of Planners (KIP). Similarly, Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is imperative that this House be informed by the committee – which I hope will expedite its findings – through a report as to whether any"
}