HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 893940,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/893940/?format=api",
"text_counter": 332,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Kamar",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 33,
"legal_name": "Margaret Jepkoech Kamar",
"slug": "margaret-kamar"
},
"content": "public participation. Unless we do it, we have a very honourable statement in the Constitution that Kenyans must have a say in what is being done for them. This is very important; it is good for Kenyans to say: “I want a water project and not electricity this time round, if they are going to use their money for that.” Or, “Let us have a road and survive without water for a period of time.” This is because we know that devolution is here to stay and we better start planning for it. We must have a plan that will go beyond the five years of one governor. This is a plan that will say that this year we will do this to make sure that we accomplish what touches on the needs of the community. I am a real supporter of the principle that devolution must go to the lowest unit; that we must devolve the funding to even beyond the ward. This is because, once again, we have found situations where if a governor was not voted in by people from a certain place, then they do not get any development there. We, therefore, need to cure that. As we do that, Madam Temporary Speaker, I am happy that this Bill is talking of ‘information being availed.’ I know I questioned one of them, which is Clause 17(2)(c) which says- “For the purpose of subsection (1), the Senator shall – (c) facilitate access to information held by the county government.” We need to ask whether we are able to facilitate or do we need to modify that statement to make a demand on how the information comes? This is because the biggest problem that we have had is lack of information. Even as we sit here now, we have been unable to access information on the public participation that we have done on our own. The reason we had the debate about Samburu was because the Senator here said you cannot access information, yet we are seeing things going wrong. Therefore, for us to determine, I agree that we must have this information. I like the way the word “information” has been articulated in the Bill. However, my biggest question is: “Are we able to actually facilitate access to that information?” I, therefore, beg the Senator to re-word it so that we make a demand on how that information is availed. Madam Temporary Speaker, we have been receiving very nice and forward looking reports from the Controller of Budget. I agree with Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. that we need to start looking at oversight with the rear and front mirrors. Otherwise, we will be doing postmortem until we have governors becoming Senators before we finish the audits. Although I was hoping that, at some point, one of the oversight items is to say that no governor becomes a Senator too fast before we finish auditing the books. However, maybe that will come in another Bill. I think we have discussed that elsewhere, because it is very important. Therefore, Madam Temporary Speaker, for me, it is important that we get this information; but how do we get it? The information that the Controller of Budget has been giving us is on the dot. In fact, I was very delighted when she said that we should give her our e-mail addresses and she will give us information as and when events are taking place. It, therefore, means we are heading somewhere, because we are getting that information form a third, independent party. However, there will also be information that we may want to get directly. 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."
}