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{
    "id": 984358,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/984358/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 144,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wetangula",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 210,
        "legal_name": "Moses Masika Wetangula",
        "slug": "moses-wetangula"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Division of Revenue Act (DORA) and the County Allocation of Revenue Act (CARA) are very distinct in law and under the Constitution. I do not understand how anybody can purport to allocate money to a county and take it away in the Division of Revenue Bill. That is only in the County Allocation of Revenue Bill. That is why the Chairperson of the Committee on Finance and Budget has said that we recommend that this House passes this Bill and that at the next stage, we must amend to remove this misguided removal of money from Nairobi City County. Mr. Speaker, Sir, only four of Nairobi City County functions have been moved to the Nairobi Metropolitan Services. How on earth do you even take away the entire 100 per cent allocation from Nairobi City County? What happens to the other 10 functions? What happens to the County Assembly of Nairobi? What happens to all the issues that go on in Nairobi? This is called impunity, disrespect for the law and the Constitution. Nobody in his right frame of mind, at whatever level, whether it is National Assembly or in the Executive, should embark on such a misadventure. This will kill devolution. In fact, popular as it appears, the assault on Nairobi City County is actually unconstitutional. It is a clawback on devolution that this House has sworn to defend. We must tirelessly defend that. Secondly, Mr. Speaker, Sir, there is an allocation of money for planting trees in water towers; Kshs80 million every year for three years from the European Union (EU). If you go around the water towers in the counties, not a single tree has been planted in the first one year. The money has already been used. This money is most likely being misappropriated. I would like to urge the distinguished Senator for Homa Bay County, I do not know if he is still the Chairman of the County Public Accounts and Investment Committee (CPAIC) in this House, to zero down on these allocations of Kshs80 million to 11 counties for reafforestation of our water towers. All this money will not go to do the right things. This is taxpayer’s money from Europe for heaven sake! We must learn how to respect what we are being given by others. I want to urge the Committee to look at that. Thirdly, what is happening to my county is very disgusting. I got a statement from the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Bungoma Branch. On the 18th of March, 2020, Kshs776,223 was withdrawn nine times from the same account at the same time. This money was ostensibly to go and buy jerricans to put at market places for people to wash hands. This is reckless spending of public resources. The law is very clear. If you are spending more than Kshs10,000, you must tender. If you are spending a huge sum of money in millions, there is electronic transfer of money. Why would nine people, each carrying a cheque leaf of Kshs776,223, walk into the bank together, withdraw cash and hand over to an individual, ostensibly for fighting COVID-19. COVID-19 cannot be an excuse for misuse of public resources."
}