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{
    "id": 886315,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/886315/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 441,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Eng.) Mahamud",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 373,
        "legal_name": "Mohammed Maalim Mahamud",
        "slug": "mohammed-mahamud"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, the Committee held several sittings in which it invited several key stakeholders which included the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the Controller of Budgets, Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works. The Committee made several observations and recommendations on the issues raised by the various stakeholders. Madam Temporary Speaker, some counties had made budgetary provisions for some of these projects. The figures provided at the deliberations were extremely high. To mention a few, in Financial Year 2018/2019 budget, Kirinyaga County had allocated Kshs100 million for a governor’s residence. Kilifi County had allocated Kshs214 million for a deputy governor’s residence and Kshs200 million for county assembly speaker’s residence. Nyandarua County, which is one of the counties receiving conditional grant supplementary for construction of county headquarters, had allocated Kshs800 million for construction of county headquarters. Uasin Gishu County had allocated Kshs850 million for construction of assembly offices and chambers. Madam Temporary Speaker, the recommendations proposed by the Committee, if taken into account and implemented, will enhance accountability, effectiveness, transparency, efficiency, prudent management, commercial viability and value for money. The mentioned county government’s infrastructure projects are essential for the running of the county but the investment in the same should not jeopardize service delivery. Madam Temporary Speaker, the concerns that we had is that counties are spending a lot of money on these infrastructure projects, all of them varied. projects. In fact, the headquarters of a particular county has no resemblance with the other. Everybody is building what they want. So, this concern was raised. Counties were rushing because one time, the SRC gave an indication that they must build all the county headquarters by June, 2019. So, they were trying to beat that deadline. Madam Temporary Speaker, the records of evidence adduced and documents received by the Committee formed the basis for recommendation of the Committee as outlined in the report and can be obtained in the minutes of the Committee proceedings annexed to the report which is here already. Madam Temporary Speaker, the Committee observed that the timeframe provided by the SRC was not adequate since county governments had only one fiscal year to initiate and complete the residential projects. The circular by SRC giving 30th June, 2019 deadline is unrealistic. Our recommendation was it must be rescinded. The outcry by residents in different counties in protest of the excessive budgetary provisions for residences was an indication that the projects were not within the immediate needs of the people. Madam Temporary Speaker, there was need for design standardization and capping of maximum expenditure on the projects to ensure adherence to the principles of public finance management as enshrined in the Constitution. For the counties which had already commenced the construction projects, there was need for work appraisal with the view to modify the designs and scale down the cost to allowable limits. The five counties receiving conditional grant of Kshs363 million that is 70 per cent of the cost of the facility spread over three years, for construction of headquarters, should contribute the balance of 30 per cent of the cost. The total cost of construction translates to Kshs518 million ceilings set by counties for construction of county executive headquarters considering the"
}