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{
"id": 886711,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/886711/?format=api",
"text_counter": 381,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. (Eng.) Hargura",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 827,
"legal_name": "Godana Hargura",
"slug": "godana-hargura"
},
"content": "At the end of the exercise what the executive will have from each ward is projects which have been identified. From there, it is for the executive to determine which projects the amount of money can fund. For example, members of the public are not expert to know the cost of constructing a borehole or a dispensary which might be their priorities. Therefore, it is for the executive to assign the number of projects to be covered by that amount of money. So, basically, it is a process which has been tried. Madam Temporary Speaker, last year, public participation was done in Marsabit County and each ward is getting Kshs50 million. This is because the county is trying to give some attention to departmental and county flagship projects. So, they had to reduce the old allocation. If you look at the percentage we are proposing, for example, in Financial Year 2028/2019, Marsabit County got about Kshs7 billion. Already they have allocated Kshs1.5 billion directly to the wards. That is more than 15 per cent. Fifteen per cent of Kshs7 billion is about Kshs1.050,000,000. So, they have already done more than that. Therefore, it is possible. This law gives them a framework. The executive did its work by being fair and making sure that each part of the county gets money for development. This framework is in law so that the different wards are not at the mercy of the executive. That is what we are trying to cure. Madam Temporary Speaker, in the Eleventh Parliament, we tried that process with the counties. They used the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) formula in sharing money for development among the constituencies, then down to the wards. Sometimes, we have to innovate but it depends on the goodwill of the executive. However, this kind of law will clearly make sure that what we are doing is anchored in law. Therefore, if the executive tries to go against it, it will not be acceptable. The law clearly says that the county assembly does not approve the budget until it is in line with this law. That is what Clause 13 in Part IV states. Madam Temporary Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of the Chairperson of the Committee, Clause 6 (2) which gives county assembly the power to approve the criteria. It talks of ‘approve’ or ‘reject’. I propose that it should have the word ‘amend’. It is not a matter of approving or rejecting. The county assembly can also amend that formula developed by the CRA. So, it should be clear that, county assemblies can also amend the formula and adapt it to their own prevailing factors which can sometime change from year to year. Therefore, let us have that amendment included there. Madam Temporary Speaker, considering the amount of money that we are giving to these wards, for example, in Marsabit County, if a ward gets Kshs15 million then it scales it down to the village units which are the locations, then they will remain with Kshs10 million which, may be, cannot complete one or two projects. For example, if a ward decides to do a borehole, there has to be drilling, installation and piping which might cost more than Kshs10 million and there might be other priorities. Therefore, once a project is started, there must be continuity. This is one problem we have on the ground. For example, in my county, there are areas where a borehole has been drilled according to what was in the last year’s budget. However, this year, there is nothing and that borehole has not been equipped. So, when they tell me that they want the borehole equipped, I normally ask them what they allocated their money for this year. Therefore, there must be continuity. A project must be completed. For example, if a dispensary is started, there must be construction of the necessary facilities, it has to be equipped and staffed. However, this cannot take one year; it has to take several years."
}