{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=141763","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=141761","results":[{"id":1435812,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1435812/?format=json","text_counter":78,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Wambua","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13199,"legal_name":"Enoch Kiio Wambua","slug":"enoch-kiio-wambua"},"content":"I thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I also add my voice in support of the County Allocation of Revenue Bill, 2024 for the Financial Year 2024/2025; a fairly straightforward Bill, if you ask me. There are only two things I will mention about this Bill. For now, and into the future, let us kill this misconception that the national Government has got any money to allocate to any county. That is not the case. It is the work of both Houses of Parliament; the National Assembly and the Senate, to share money between the national Government and the county governments. So, expecting that the national Government is going allocate or devolve more funds to the county governments, is expecting something that will never happen. Secondly, I take cognizance of the fact that this year there has been quite some growth in terms of the amount of money allocated to counties. It is about Kshs400 billion. Kitui County is among the top 10 counties that are receiving quite some share of the equitable share from the Senate. As the National Assembly appropriates for the national Government, the Senate is appropriating for counties. I reiterate what I have always said that it is okay we have come from recess today to appropriate money to our counties. It should be okay when we go to those counties next week or the week after to find out how the money we sent to the counties is being utilised. There should be no problem between Senators and Governors. With those remarks, I support."},{"id":1435813,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1435813/?format=json","text_counter":79,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Kingi","speaker_title":"The Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Proceed, Sen. Essy."},{"id":1435814,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1435814/?format=json","text_counter":80,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Okenyuri","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Mr. Speaker, Sir, thank you for this opportunity. I would wish to support the work that was done on this Bill. Money going down to counties is a good initiative. 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":1435815,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1435815/?format=json","text_counter":81,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Okenyuri","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"First, I would implore the county chiefs and their respective county assemblies to prioritise adding more allocations to the Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) that are within counties. This will build up the capacity of young people to be in a position to put money in their pockets by doing some of these locally made initiatives that we are looking for. Secondly, there is the issue of agriculture. It has for a long time been looked at as an area that thrives through senior citizens. In a way to encourage young people and women to venture more into that field and being a devolved function, more allocation needs to go to those sectors so that we pull together. Finally, I saw Governor Kang’ata sharing an idea on how they have collected a lot of money in Murang’a County as own-source revenue. I request our county chiefs to also look at that. In as much as the national Government is sending money to counties, let them beef up their own-source revenue, so that we supplement those efforts collectively and steer this nation forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."},{"id":1435816,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1435816/?format=json","text_counter":82,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Kingi","speaker_title":"The Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Proceed, Sen. Abass."},{"id":1435817,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1435817/?format=json","text_counter":83,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Abass","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13587,"legal_name":"Abass Sheikh Mohamed","slug":"abass-sheikh"},"content":"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I support the County Allocation of Revenue Bill. First, I commend the mediation team for the good work they have done. I believe the counties have now received an additional fund of 6.4 per cent. There is also an increase in terms of the level of segregation, industrial parks and Community Health Promoters (CHPs). Many factors have been taken care of in this budget. However, we have so many devolved functions and money has not been released. Therefore, I urge the national Government to also release available funds. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is a good gesture in terms of the CHPs. This will enhance health services to the rural areas; people will receive medical care and health advice on health issues. I also thank the Members because money for the roads has now been released. This budget is very inclusive and I hope we will keep it. The challenge we have is that as good as it is, this increase is not commensurate to own-source revenue collections. Therefore, I urge governors to also increase their own-source revenue, so that the budget can be absorbed while taking care of their own source resources. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we need to make prudent use of resources. The national Government has shown goodwill on the funds released to the counties. The counties should also show and go the extra mile to make prudent use of the money. With those few remarks, I beg to support."},{"id":1435818,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1435818/?format=json","text_counter":84,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Kingi","speaker_title":"The Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Proceed, Sen. Sifuna."},{"id":1435819,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1435819/?format=json","text_counter":85,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Sifuna","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13599,"legal_name":"Sifuna Edwin Watenya","slug":"sifuna-edwin-watenya"},"content":"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I am very proud to be a Senator this time. I am extremely proud of the House. As you understand, my position is that we did not put up a fight last year as a House to grow the basket of devolution. However, I am happy that standing here today, as the fourth Senate, we have breached the psychological Kshs400 billion mark on the resources that are going to the counties. I thank my colleagues, all of you who voted for the Division of Revenue Bill and the mediation committee that was chaired by the Senator for Meru, Sen. Kathuri Murungi, for the job that they have done. 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":1435820,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1435820/?format=json","text_counter":86,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Sifuna","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13599,"legal_name":"Sifuna Edwin Watenya","slug":"sifuna-edwin-watenya"},"content":"Mr. Speaker, Sir, if you look at the schedule this year, my county of Nairobi is getting an additional Kshs850 million on their equitable share of revenue. I will later be bringing a proposal here for amending the Sports Act. The proposal is that these counties must be forced to allocate at least one per cent of the money we send them for support of the registered county sporting associations. My governor will have no excuse because I have now given him an additional Kshs850 million. I also know that he put around Kshs500 million in the Joe Kadenge Stadium, what used to be known as City Stadium. As we speak, our national team is playing their World Cup qualifiers in Malawi. It is extremely embarrassing and a shame for this country. We hope that county governments can develop sporting infrastructure to the level where we can hold international matches in some of these institutions. The Governor of Nairobi City County will have no excuse because I want to see the completion of the Joe Kadenge Stadium, so that we can host international games there. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have also seen that Nairobi is getting an additional Kshs224 million for the CHPs. This is what we all promised during the campaigns. They play a critical role, especially in the densely populated areas in Nairobi such as the slum areas. They have been instrumental in ensuring that our people are in good health. Last year, we did not appear in the additional allocation list because we did not get any money for county headquarters or industrial parks. However, we continue to make the case that even if we do not qualify for some of these allocations like the ones for industrial parks, we qualify to be allocated resources just like the other counties for other things, including the construction of markets. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the only thing that we now must insist on as a House is the timely release of these resources to the county governments. We have had a debate here, including when we were managing the disasters that came---"},{"id":1435821,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1435821/?format=json","text_counter":87,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Kingi","speaker_title":"The Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Proceed, Sen. Mandago."}]}