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{
    "id": 848589,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/848589/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 91,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Halake",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13184,
        "legal_name": "Abshiro Soka Halake",
        "slug": "abshiro-soka-halake"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for protecting me. We had legislation before this House to push funds to the lowest levels of service delivery in the counties, namely the wards. This morning, our discussion was on the fact that a lot of institutions at the national level are against this. If we had cascaded some of these funds and provided counties the requisite capacity to implement some of these projects, perhaps, we would not be dealing with lack of absorption of funds. Therefore, even as we talk about corruption and other things, let us not forget that this House is also supposed to support development of capacity of counties to absorb, and that includes providing them with the necessary people to do the work. On the other hand, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are aware that sometimes disbursements do not go out at the right time, yet big capital development projects require time to implement them. Therefore, even as we say that counties did not absorb or that they only absorbed 23 per cent or less, we should also look at the fiscal cycle and the disbursement schedules that go to counties. I know that at the beginning of this year, counties were crying for funds and they did not get it in good time, until late towards the end of the fiscal year. Therefore, the capacity to implement some of these projects, which take time, was largely affected and limited. Therefore, as much as we all support the fight against corruption both at the national and county levels, this House has the obligation to protect counties. Oversight is not just about ensuring good stewardship and catching the thieves, but also about ensuring that measures are put in place in advance to ensure that we have proactive measures to ensure counties develop the capacity for absorption. We should not just wait at the end of the fiscal cycle and say that money was not utilized. The question is what did we do, as this House, to ensure that money was disbursed on time? What did we do, as a House, to ensure that counties have the necessary position for capacity to implement some of these programmes?"
}