{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=137736","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=137734","results":[{"id":1393761,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1393761/?format=json","text_counter":191,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Thang’wa","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"I sometimes ask myself, if they could not trust the governors with our education, because it is not the function of county government when it comes to primary, high school or even universities. Why did they trust the governors with our health? That is something that we need to rethink because health, first, is universal and health is one of the most important things that we need to look into as a country. I want to thank the Committee on Health because we have taken some statements to them. They have embarked on visiting counties to see the state of hospitals in various counties. I know I have a Statement with the Committee on Health on the issue of Health Insurance for the employees of Kiambu County Government and they were supposed to visit Kiambu County last week but the Committee postponed that due to reasons that you understand very well. Therefore, I believe the Standing Committees are the Committees that are going to assist this Senate to do its oversight mandate. As I always say, the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC) and County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) are mere morticians, since they only check what the Auditor-General has said. Madam Temporary Speaker, if the Auditor -General says this county had no fault at all, we will do nothing as those committees. However, if we take our job seriously as the Standing Committees and visit our counties as the other committees have been visiting different counties, we are going to find that county governors and county governments are not doing what they are supposed to do. Therefore, by visiting counties, we can rectify this and take the necessary precautions instead of waiting for them to break the law. We wait for the Auditor- General, then the Auditor-General does a report to CPIC and CPAC and then we look at reports a year or two later. Madam Temporary Speaker, for instance, we are now looking into the issues like crimes and mistakes that the previous governors had committed and which are now being answered by the current governors. As I conclude, I am saying that because I know these committees like the Committee on Health, Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, other Committees not forgetting my Committee which is the Committee on Roads and Transportation, if we are keen on protecting devolution, let us visit the counties. Next week, let us have the Committee on Lands, Environment and Natural Resources in Kiambu, to check out why Kiambu is going to miss on Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA); the money for climate change about Kshs110 million, just because the Governor there is refusing to comply. Madam Temporary Speaker, let us have the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, go to Kiambu County and check the distribution of fertiliser, the chicks and everything. Let us have the Committee on Energy visit Kiambu to check why the county government has refused the installation of street lights. Let us have the Committee on Education visit Kiambu and check how many Early Childhood Education Centres (ECDs) have been built in that county because I believe we are being lied to. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1393762,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1393762/?format=json","text_counter":192,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Thang’wa","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Let us have the Committee on Finance and Budget of this Senate visit Kiambu and other counties to find out why the county government has refused to pay pending bills worth Kshs5.7 billion. Additionally, let us find out why the county that projected to collect Kshs7 billion as own source revenue has only collected Kshs1.6 billion. Let us have the Committee on Labour and Social Welfare visit Kiambu and see why the promotion of employees in the county has been put on halt until 2026. Let the Committee on Lands, Environment and Natural Resources, visit Kiambu County and find out why the people over there have not been given their land yet they paid for it. It is time, as the Senate and the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources, to redeem ourselves and go to the counties, meet the governors face to face and tell them that they are doing injustice to devolution that we have fought for. Thank you."},{"id":1393763,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1393763/?format=json","text_counter":193,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Veronica Maina","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Sen. Lomenen."},{"id":1393764,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1393764/?format=json","text_counter":194,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Lomenen","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":2940,"legal_name":"James Lomenen Ekomwa","slug":"james-lomenen-ekomwa"},"content":"Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I support the Statement by Sen. Cherarkey. As we supply subsidized fertilizer to farmers, we should also remember that there are areas of northern part of Kenya, which also need animal feeds. The animal feeds help to improve the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation. It is an injustice for farmers in other areas to enjoy subsidized fertilizer, yet livestock owners in northern part of Kenya do not enjoy the animal feeds. As we think of fertilizer to farmers, we should also think of animal feeds in northern part of Kenya. I support with that reservation."},{"id":1393765,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1393765/?format=json","text_counter":195,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Veronica Maina","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Sen. Mandago, if you want to inform the Senator for Turkana, you should use your equipment."},{"id":1393766,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1393766/?format=json","text_counter":196,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Mandago","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13577,"legal_name":"Kiplagat Jackson Mandago","slug":"kiplagat-jackson-mandago"},"content":"Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I wanted to inform the Senator for Turkana that the Government---"},{"id":1393767,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1393767/?format=json","text_counter":197,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Veronica Maina","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Does he want to be informed? Senator for Turkana County, do you wish to be informed by Sen. Mandago? Okay. He has allowed you."},{"id":1393768,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1393768/?format=json","text_counter":198,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Mandago","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13577,"legal_name":"Kiplagat Jackson Mandago","slug":"kiplagat-jackson-mandago"},"content":"Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I want to inform the Senator for Turkana County that through the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), the national Government has been supporting livestock farmers through the offtake of livestock, particularly during the dry periods and supply of feeds. I urge the Senator for Turkana County to ask for supply of grass seeds so that grass can be planted during rainy seasons in the northern part of Kenya. We want to support the Senator for Samburu County because they lost over seven kilometres of pasture through fires. We believe that they should also be compensated so that livestock farmers can continue benefiting from the Government. Thank you."},{"id":1393769,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1393769/?format=json","text_counter":199,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Veronica Maina","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Thank you, Senator. Sen. Faki, proceed. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1393770,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1393770/?format=json","text_counter":200,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Faki","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13211,"legal_name":"Mohamed Faki Mwinyihaji","slug":"mohamed-faki-mwinyihaji-2"},"content":"Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I also want to support the Statement by Sen. Olekina on the budget making and utilisation in several counties, including my own county of Mombasa. It is true that the performance of Mombasa County in terms of Budget implementation has not been up to standard in the current administration. For instance, in the Financial Year 2022/2023, we failed to meet our target on Own Source Revenue (OSR) by about Kshs1.2 billion. This will have a bearing on the projects that the Government had put in place to implement in the Financial Year 2022/2023. Two, there are also high levels of pending bills. At the moment, the pending bills stand at Kshs3.92 billion as at 31st December, 2023. This is against the fact that there was a sum of Kshs2.91 billion available in the County Revenue Fund (CRF), which was supposed to be used to offset some of those pending bills. These pending bills are worsening, and they will have a bearing on the future financial performance of the County of Mombasa. Three is on the youth and empowerment programmes that are supposed to be undertaken in the county. Mombasa being the port city, at the moment, we have the largest number of youth unemployment. If you look at the Report by the Controller of Budget (CoB), it places the youth unemployment at 44 per cent. Approximately four out of every 10 youths are jobless at the moment. However, our county government has not undertaken any projects that will be geared towards reduction of this youth unemployment. This will have a bearing on budget absorption and development in Mombasa County. Finally, there was the issue of diversion of funds in the county treasury and weak budgeting practice. This one also will have a bearing---. At the moment, the county government of Mombasa does not have a Financial Act for the year 2024/2025. Madam Temporary Speaker, I fully support the Statement by hon. Sen. Olekina. I urge the Committee on Finance and Budget, which I am a Member, to quickly deal with these issues so that we can arrest any future bottlenecks that will arise as a result of failure by these counties that are mentioned in this Statement. Thank you."}]}