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{
    "id": 968600,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/968600/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 146,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Suba South, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. John Mbadi",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 110,
        "legal_name": "John Mbadi Ng'ong'o",
        "slug": "john-mbadi"
    },
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, when the Chair of my Committee was reading the Statement, I was a bit disturbed and got confused. I thought the National Treasury was seeking the approval of the National Assembly and the Senate to withhold funds of 15 counties procedurally as provided for in law. Therefore, this House has to make a decision. This decision can only be made after the Committee has made recommendations in a formal way in a Motion. This is because through a Statement, this House cannot take a vote. Probably, the Chair was trying to explain the difficulty the Committee had in concluding this exercise. I think he should just restrict himself to that instead of going ahead and talking like he has made a decision for the Committee. I thought the decision is yet to be taken because the Controller of Budget is not in place to give her view. When the Chair spoke, he confused me because it is like he is making a conclusion and we are rejecting the request of the National Treasury. I think this is a decision that should not be made by the Committee. The House makes a final decision on the same. So, I request that the Chair restricts himself to explaining why the Committee has not concluded this matter as opposed to going ahead and making a conclusion. This is because many of us have a contrary opinion. Probably, we may agree with him on the issue of the national Government having pending bills, but we are also alive to the fact that our counties are killing businesses in this country. They have already awarded contracts and contractors have executed them, but they have not been paid. Even when they are told to pay, they still do not pay. Money goes to their own companies. We know of counties where a road is done but payment is made to somebody else. So, I want to request the Chairman of Budget and Appropriations Committee to be careful. This House wants to make a decision based on an informed report by the Committee. Thank you."
}