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{
    "id": 886397,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/886397/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 67,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Zani",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13119,
        "legal_name": "Agnes Zani",
        "slug": "agnes-zani"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order 47 (1) to make a Statement on a countrywide concern, that is, The 2019 Gross County Product Report that was launched by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) on 13th February, 2019, that highlights the economic status of inequalities in counties. This is an important Report because it is actually the first one that has been produced within the devolution phase. It has actually given an analysis of the equivalent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as we know it, but at the county level. It is actually the county equivalent of a GDP. Some people call it the Gross County Product (GCP). It measures, therefore - if you look across the various counties - the inequalities of the various counties. This Report clearly shows that at the end of the day, there is a lot of variation within the counties. Given the fact that right from the onset of devolution, what was expected is that it would equalize counties. This Report becomes very key for us because it shows that no difference in terms of inequality has been there. So, counties have grown, improved and developed, but inequalities within the various counties have remained more or less the same. This becomes a very important Report for this House because we know that through devolution there have been so many improvements in various ways and things, but there are still various challenges that are there. Fundamental challenges have continued to affect the counties, including irregular or delayed disbursement of devolved funds from the national Exchequer, low revenue collection, weak and uncoordinated planning and execution, stalled projects, among many others. In light of the recently concluded Devolution Conference in Kirinyaga, it is evident that the counties are still grappling with various issues. One of those issues is actually articulated in this particular Report. Many aspects still need to be put into place, and these are the ones that will help to address the issue of inequalities within the counties. They include better planning in the counties, improved quality of county leadership, prioritization and more investment. We are now hearing more about own-source revenue becoming a key issue within the counties; more participation in project identification, planning and execution; more efforts to ensure that there is eradication of duplicity of efforts, massive sensitization of leaders and many others. All these are very key. As we know, the Senate is mandated to represent counties. We are here as Senators because we take care of the various counties. Therefore, now that this Report has been launched, it becomes a centre piece for this particular House. Implementation of the devolved system of government is in its sixth year and a significant amount of resources have been channeled to the counties. However, the county governments need to step up efforts at strengthening their capacities in generating revenue locally. In addition, funds aimed at boosting counties that have experienced underdevelopment have been allocated through the Equalization Fund. This Report shows that even with the Equalization Fund, the element of equalizing counties has not been 100 per cent."
}