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{
    "id": 814838,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/814838/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 445,
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    "content": "of the kind of complaints that the citizens continue to raise about the quality of staff being hired in our counties and the process. The fact that CSPBs need to be professional bodies, was well thought-out by the drafters of our Constitution and the House that gave life to the County Government Act. These bodies are supposed to ensure that the people who are hired to work in our counties are not just political cronies, friends, families and concubines, but men and women of great repute that can push the agenda of devolution forward in our counties. However, Madam Temporary Speaker, that is not the case in many of our counties going by the cries that continue to come to this House through the petitions that are presented before us, who sit in the Committee on Finance and Budget. Many a times when we question the finance officers – who are the men and women that are charged with the responsibility of taking care of finances of counties – some of the answers given to us are extremely shocking. For example, we have faced somebody who was hired to be the County Executive Committee (CEC) member in charge of finance making school boy errors in terms of accounting practices. We then wonder what process led to the hiring of this particular fellow. Madam Temporary Speaker, the CSPBs were meant to be given a life of their own and a sort of semi-autonomy. It was expected that after the approval of the chairperson of CSPB, they would retreat and ensure that the quality of staff they give to our counties is something to be celebrated. That is not the case. We are much aware of the practice where we find the chairperson and the secretariat of the County Public Service Boards (CPSB) draw a list on need basis from the Executive, conduct interviews, then indicate a particular candidate is suitable for hire or not and pass it to the governor for approval. Depending on their political arithmetic, the county governor will choose whom to hire and leave others without any regard for due process and professionalism. It is important for this House to stamp its authority by ensuring that the chairperson that is in charge of this institution is a trained human resource person. As we discussed about this morning when we had a meeting with Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), human resource is extremely important. Many times, counties are obsessed with how much is being devolved to them. However, I pause and push forward the argument that it does not matter how much a county gets. However, if it is placed on the hands of men and women who do not push for development and growth agenda of a particular county, then after three or four cycles, the difference will be so clear. One will not believe that devolution was rolled out at the same time in all the 47 counties. We are only in the second cycle of devolution and there are a few county governments that we can celebrate. After five or six financial years, they have put forth industries that generate income and employ their young people. The living standards of people in those counties have greatly improved. Madam Temporary Speaker, human resource is as important as the financial resource that we fight for in this House. Therefore, if we do not put in place legislation to ensure that people that are charged with this function are men and women of the right mental capability and training, then we shall be failing our counties. Therefore, 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."
}