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{
    "id": 980299,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/980299/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 217,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13131,
        "legal_name": "Johnson Arthur Sakaja",
        "slug": "johnson-arthur-sakaja"
    },
    "content": "This Statement is important but I do not think it is being treated with the importance it deserves. It is an entire frame of mind and disposition within the Government that needs to be addressed. I hope Sen. Khaniri brings it in a more substantive nature. First, devolution is not a favour. When we have the discussion about division of revenue, we tend to disabuse mandarins who have always believed that the money that goes to the counties is money from national Government. If you look at Chapter 12 of the Constitution on Public Finance, the division of revenue divides money and gives national and county governments their money. That money is given by the Constitution of Kenya and not by the national Government. That needs to be clear. In fact, in the BBI, we probably need to be clear about the role of the National Treasury. There needs to be an independent institution that gives the national Government its money and gives the county governments money. These are not the days of District Focus for Rural Development (DFRD) because we have devolution, which is a main feature of our Constitution. Secondly, what is good for the goose must be good for the gander. You cannot tell me that pending bills are in the counties only. In fact, the higher amounts of pending bills are in the national Government. How you treat the counties is the same treatment that needs to be meted on the national Government in all fairness. Thirdly, when you stop salaries, it is not the governors who suffer, but the ordinary workers in the counties. Countless are huge numbers of people coming to ask us to give them something small to survive because they were not paid. When they ask you as a leader to give them something and you tell them that you do not have, they cannot believe it. When someone from Samburu asks you for Kshs10,000, they do so because they believe that you are a billionaire. If you cannot fulfill that request, it makes you look terrible. This matter needs to come again. However, I do not know how we can bring it back to the House and discuss about treatment of county governments because pending bills must be paid. There have been issues, but you do not make the people to suffer because there have been irregularities with the administration of finances at the county and national levels. The other day, we saw people in the Prisons Department demonstrating because of pending bills but people are getting their salaries. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, let us not cut off our nose to spite our face. This is the time the Senate must take up its role in defending devolution. Before I came to this House, I used to wonder who devolution was for when I was in the National Assembly who is the attacker. Now, it is as clear as day and night. I know devolution needs defence and that is why we must strengthen this House. I thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, and Sen. Khaniri."
}