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{
"id": 935032,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/935032/?format=api",
"text_counter": 52,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kipkelion East, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Joseph Limo",
"speaker": {
"id": 1915,
"legal_name": "Joseph Kirui Limo",
"slug": "joseph-kirui-limo"
},
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. The Bill proposes the ward to be the lowest level of administration for this particular Fund, but during public participation, we saw that the ward is too low and it will be too expensive to have too many committees operating all over the country where this Fund is designed to operate. So, we will be proposing an amendment to make the constituency the base of operations of the Fund. Therefore, there will be a Constituency Equalisation Fund Committee, which will then be liaising with the National Equalisation Fund Committee. You know very well that this Fund was created by the Constitution to cure the historical injustices which were meted on certain communities because of their location. Therefore, the purpose is to bring the areas up to speed with the rest of the country in terms of development infrastructure. If this Fund is not well managed, the time lapse will catch up with it and the Fund will not have created any impact on the ground. This Fund is in existence for 20 years as per the Constitution. Therefore, it means by 2020, which is next year, we will have finished 10 years, which is half way. If you go to the communities which the Fund was supposed to benefit, there is nothing much to show. Currently, a lot of funds have been set aside, but nothing is happening. Nothing much has been happening and if any, very little has been happening. In fact, we had a chance to find out what kinds of projects have been implemented. You will find the National Treasury and the committee, which is made up of PSs, have been using the Fund for projects which ideally should be done by the national Government directly. They are not designed to benefit the local person. If you go to a town like Maralal and implement a sewage system, the pastoralist who is herding cows in the village will not even benefit. They do not understand. In fact, when you talk about sewage system, they will be looking for water for their cattle. They will be looking for roads to ensure they reach the market when going to sell their livestock. Therefore, we are of the opinion that this Fund should be managed in a way that communities are properly involved in identifying their priorities. If you sit in Nairobi and identify a priority which, according to the local people is not a priority, then we lose focus. Public participation was brought for the purpose of assisting local communities to identify what really matters for them. Therefore, if this Bill is enacted, it will help in terms of bringing on board the local communities, so that they are properly represented. This Bill also proposes penalties for those who will be involved in misappropriation of the Fund. If you are found to have misappropriated the Fund, there will be serious repercussions. We know corruption is the greatest enemy of any development. If funds are allocated and do not reach the intended person, then it is counterproductive. To counter this, the Bill proposes preventive measures to ensure that the people who will be appointed to sit on the boards, both at the national level and at the local level are people of integrity. The Bill sets standards on what should be looked at in choosing the people to sit on the boards. Comments have been coming from different quarters including from the Attorney- General. I was disturbed by the comments of the Attorney-General. He said that they do not support the Bill, the reason being there are existing structures which ensure that the Fund is operated. He does not go out of his office to find out whether the structures have been effective The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}