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{
    "id": 871654,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/871654/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 952,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "officially within the Senate. In fact, it will now be the work of the Committee on Finance and Budget--- As the County Public Accounts and Investments Committee is looking at the accounts, the Committee on Finance and Budget should be looking at all the budgets of all counties. This should be done with the assistance of the Senator of each county who will be able to point out the issues that are being raised by citizens in the counties. If we act innovatively, we will deal with the questions that many Kenyans are having about misappropriation of public funds in our counties. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I have heard many people, including my own Governor, complaining about the little amount of money that they receive in the counties. My Governor even went to the extent of saying that perhaps he wants Elgeyo-Marakwet County to be managed from Nairobi. Of course, that is preposterous, considering that we should be the ones who are defending devolution. Elgeyo-Marakwet County is better today because of the resources that were put in that county. If those funds were managed well, it would have been far much better. I reckon that Elgeyo-Marakwet County is among the last counties receiving money, but it is not the last one. I have gone to Lamu County, and I have seen that devolution has made a difference there. I went to Tana River County with the Committee on Devolution, and it has changed. If you go to Hola Town itself, the infrastructure has changed, including development and decision making. You cannot compare Tana River County now and six years ago when we did not have devolution. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, with the least amount of money that Isiolo County gets, there is still great improvement and change there. What if these counties were taking care of the resources? The Bible says- “To whom much is given, much is expected.” It also says in the parable of talents that he who had the least of the talents and did not put it to use because he felt that it was too little, even that little that he had was robbed from him and given to the one who had more and multiplied it. Therefore, our counties must first demonstrate that whatever little they get – in conformation with the formula that we have, which takes regard to the land that we have and the population of a county – they must demonstrate that they innovatively think of how to use that money to change the lives of the people of Kenya. This is so that when we say we want to be added more, we are celebrating that little that they have done. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, our counties should not be centres of lamentation. That is why the County Public Accounts and Investments Committee (CPAIC), particularly has a responsibility to look at the issues that are being raised by Kenyans. We have agreed that soon, in less than one month, we should have sat as a Senate to think through accountability and how to actually become proactive on matters of accountability so that these counties can be assisted to move forward. Therefore, other than the County Public Accounts and Investments Committee--- First of all, even before I go there, I just want to say, for the comfort of the people of The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}