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"id": 89507,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Imanyara",
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"legal_name": "Gitobu Imanyara",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise to support my good friend, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government, in seeking these funds for his Ministry. I hope he will be able to explain to us, when we go into the Committee Stage, what appears to be a big discrepancy between the sum sought in the Committee and what appears in the statement here to be a sum of Kshs17 billion. At the Committee Stage, the Minister will be seeking Kshs2 billion. Maybe that will be explained when he rises to speak. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I congratulate the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government, I am very disappointed also by him. Although he has given funds for two markets within the County of Meru, within North Imenti and South Imenti, I am disappointed that he has not allocated any funding at all to complete the Kibirichia Market which has remained unopened more than four years since it was completed. What is required to complete it is less than Kshs5 million. Mr. Minister, I have spoken to you about this issue on many occasions and I am surprised that you have not taken heed to take steps to have that market opened. Nevertheless, I am glad that you have made some allocation to Gakoromone Market which is, by far, the biggest market within the Meru County. As I say that, I am also aware that the funds that were allocated under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP)- -- We have met all the conditions. For example, the construction of a fresh produce market in Kibirichia, despite complying with all the requirements, funding has not yet been received. We know of places where the completion of the Economic Stimulus Programme projects has been reported. Perhaps, the Minister will shed some light on this. Having said that, and as we go into the devolved system of Government where counties will play a key role, I would have expected the Minister to address that issue more substantively. That is because we are entering an era where, under the devolved Government, County Governments will take the central stage. If you look at the proposed Constitution that we will be adopting tomorrow, you will see that the functions of the counties are enhanced. They will become true local authorities with powers that will shape the economic development of the counties. So, I would have expected this budget to concentrate on the transformation and transition from the local authorities as we know them today to the County Governments. One of the biggest problems that we have had in the past has to do with the clerks of the local authorities. I have talked to the Minister many times about the Meru County Council. There is allocation of public land with the connivance of the clerk who is there. It seems that they enjoy special status because despite complaints, letters being written and petitions being raised, nothing happens to a selected number of clerks. As the Minister comes to respond, he will, perhaps tell us why some of those officers who do not enjoy confidence of the leaders of the people in the counties in which they serve continue to serve with impunity. These are issues that need to be addressed. As I support this Motion, Mr. Waziri, I hope that you will be able to shed more light on these issues. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}