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{
    "id": 886757,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/886757/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 427,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wambua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13199,
        "legal_name": "Enoch Kiio Wambua",
        "slug": "enoch-kiio-wambua"
    },
    "content": "I am saying this in relation to Clause 11(a) which provides that the CEC concerned shall ensure timely and efficient disbursement of funds for the implementation of county ward development projects. That should be the case but to a bigger extent, I hold the view that this House has let counties down when it comes to disbursement of development funds from the national Government. The PFM Act is very clear on disbursements from the national Treasury to the county governments. Those disbursements must be done the first week of the month or not later than the 15th day of the beginning of the quarter. We have witnessed situations where the national Treasury withholds funds for county governments and those funds are released towards the end of the financial year with no time for counties to absorb funds meant for development. I think time has come that even as we take CECs to account on disbursement of funds meant for development within wards in the counties, as a Senate, we must also find a way of ensuring from the National Treasury that funds that are meant for development reach the counties in good time. That way, we will be doing good service to our people. Finally, I want to comment on Clause 12, because I said I have four comments. Clause 12(1) and (2) states that:- “(1) Funds allocated for a project shall only be reallocated for any other purpose during the financial year with the approval of the county assembly. (2) If for any reason a project is cancelled or discontinued during the financial year, funds allocated for such a project shall be reallocated to another project to be implemented in the same ward.” For me, Clause 12(2) is a very good provision because we have also witnessed situations especially in counties where the pioneer governors lost in the 2017 General Elections and when the incoming governors took office, they chose to abandon projects that were started by their predecessors and started new projects or reallocated monies that had been allocated to projects in wards that did not support them and took those monies to wards that supported them. This Bill is good because it will ensure continuity of projects. If a project is started in a ward, then there is no way of reallocating that money to another project outside that ward. This is a very important Bill. To allow my colleague, who I know wants to contribute to this Bill; I will end my contribution. I support."
}