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{
    "id": 814521,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/814521/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 128,
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    "speaker_name": "",
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    "content": "the county level. However, the point of departure from all this representation is that we now have a two-tier type of government; the national and the county governments. The drafters of the Constitution saw it prudent to have these two distinct services serving the people.They entrusted the welfare and care of the county governments to the Senate, among other things. Both Houses conduct their business through Bills, Motions and Petitions. The public has seen it fit that the Senate acts expeditiously when petitioned on issues that affect them. This is an important point that both Houses must appreciate and understand. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the way I see it, resource allocation to the counties is going to progressively diminish on the side of the national Government and increase on the side of county governments. We should understand that this is the direction that we should take. You cannot pull the horse back when it is already in motion. This Constitution has bequeathed the right on the people to decide their affairs. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I request the National Assembly to appreciate that the Senate and the National Assembly are constitutional offices. Therefore, there is no way you can utter words like: “We want to “kill” or “rubbish” the Senate.” That kind of talk should not come from my mouth because, unfortunately, it sounds pedestrian, and we should avoid it. This is because it does not help in building the bridges we need to build nor does it help in passing on the messages and expectations of Kenyans in terms of resource flow and everything else that we do. When you look at the distribution of functions between the national and county governments, almost 60 per cent of them belong to county governments. The only difference is that the resource allocation does not match the functions assigned to those counties. That is where the war should be. The Members of the National Assembly should be with us in fighting and ensuring more resources flow to the counties. That is the most important action that we can fight for together rather than fighting supremacy wars. To me, who is more powerful than the other and who can do better than the other, is not important. It is a wrong a direction to take. The Senate, as the mature House, should possibly engage another gear. Finally, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the only gear I know in my vocabulary is, when two siblings quarrel, a parent must sit them down and reconcile them. Therefore, there is need for the Speakers and leadership of both sides to meet and move forward more positively rather than engage the whole of this afternoon on negative issues that will not build up to the future of our nation. We must be all alive to the fact that what is required is to serve the people who reside in their homes. This Constitution is about people, it is not about the National Assembly or the Senate. The Constitution provides the manner in which we must conduct our business. We must respect those provisions. There is no money Bill which does not involve county governments. Therefore, we should be aware of this and see how far we can accommodate each other so that we move forward. I beg to support."
}