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{
    "id": 904217,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/904217/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 270,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "here innocently and say that as long as we ensure that counties are properly funded, there is nothing else to do. I sympathise with my colleagues in the mediation committee. What gives them the energy to wake up to go and meet our colleagues from the National Assembly and ensure that we have more money going to the counties? Cardinally, we believe that as long as we continue to fund our counties, somewhere along the line, we will get some of the things right. The question is: When shall we begin to hold people accountable? The truth of the matter is that Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) are “arrested” politically. In my county assembly, MCAs have been trying to impeach a very powerful Chief Executive Committee (CEC) Member. They will tell you the intrigues because sometimes I sit and listen to them. Sometimes they are afraid to sign on an impeachment form because when they intend to do so, they are called to a particular corner and asked how much their signature is worth so that they withdraw it. The sponsor of the Motion is a gentleman I know well and I see the struggle each and every time. Nowadays, I find it difficult to pick his calls because every time I pick, he laments that they have lost so and so. Previously he had 20 MCAs on his side but I think he is now left with five or six because the rest have been bought. That is the reality of what is happening in our counties. Madam Temporary Speaker, the truth of the matter is that you and I know that a big percentage of the money should be committed to development. Mark you, it is only a paltry 30 per cent of Kshs335 billion that Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. is fighting for to go to the counties that will do meaningful development. The rest 70 per cent is under a huge animal called recurrent expenditure. I know that amendments to the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act are before the National Assembly. I am waiting for that Bill to come to this House, so that we interrogate it. We should ask ourselves critical questions. How do we achieve the balance of 70-30? It was possible to have it at the beginning of devolution but it cannot be forever. It is like running a business where a person knows their capital expenditure (capex), operating expense (opex) and how much they are using to fund the business. It cannot be the same amount of money used at the beginning of funding the enterprise. For example, if they are paying salaries of Kshs1million and they are making Kshs1.2 million, it cannot be the same three, four and five years down the line. If the business is not growing, it means it is dying. If we continue to retain the formula of 70/30 for development and recurrent expenditure in the next budget cycle, then we are the ones who are killing devolution. Why are we giving governors an open check that so long as they have not clocked 70 with their recurrent expenditure, it is okay? This is unfortunate. Madam Temporary Speaker, I want my colleagues to take their work a bit more seriously. I have seen how we operate in this House. If there is a political Motion that is on the Table, something that will give us brownie points and make the media to be here, this House will be full. People will come and everybody will be pressed for time. They will say: “Because of the interest, allow me two more minutes.” What can a person prosecute within two minutes? 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."
}