{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=154774","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=154772","results":[{"id":1565922,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565922/?format=json","text_counter":337,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"There is the issue of markets. We observed that the national government is handling the construction of markets, which is the responsibility of county governments. That funding should have been included in this Division of Revenue Bill and allocated to the counties, with the national Government coordinating the construction. After all, it is the county government that approves the structures, participates in monitoring to ensure they meet standards and finally grants approval for occupation. Therefore, markets and housing are not devolved. Much of the land where housing projects are being developed is paid for daily. We hope that the deserving people will receive these houses at truly affordable rates since they have already been paid for. However, the financial figures being discussed suggest that we have not subsidised the prices of these houses. There have been questions raised. This morning, there was a heated debate aired on Citizen Television regarding the situation. It was concerning how consultants are dissatisfied with their consultation fees, which has resulted in poor quality work. It is up to each county to ensure that their buildings are structurally sound, that contractors do quality work, and that they can eventually issue certificates of occupation. We must avoid situations like the one witnessed in Mombasa, where a building collapsed, resulting in loss of life. The developer, who was not properly monitored by either the national or county government, ends up making the county to lose money. I am certain that the County of Mombasa will be sued, and we risk losing the funds allocated to them through the Division of Revenue Bill due to carelessness and negligence. The entire building project must be accounted for, including the lives lost, the houses that sustained cracks, and all related damages. This is unnecessary expenditure arising from someone failing to do their job properly. This is why I say there must be prudent use of our money. The Division of Revenue Bill includes our debts, and we continue to borrow funds. Corruption remains a major issue in the country. The structures meant to combat corruption are not devolved and too often, the fight against corruption becomes political rather than genuine. As a result, people are intimidated under the pretense of fighting corruption. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that at the national level, we have a serious fight against corruption. In addition, ethical standards should be upheld. When advertising tenders in both county and national governments, it often feels as though tenders are predetermined. Even when they are published in newspapers, the person who will be awarded the tender is already known. That is how we end up with poorly executed projects by contractors due to inadequate monitoring by both county and national governments. The National Treasury and the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) recently released a report indicating low absorption of funds in the counties. However, what is the actual practice? The money is sent to the CBK, allocations are made to the counties, yet the people urgently need roads and water services that are devolved. We have major projects,"},{"id":1565923,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565923/?format=json","text_counter":338,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"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":1565924,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565924/?format=json","text_counter":339,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"May 21, 2025 SENATE DEBATES 53"},{"id":1565925,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565925/?format=json","text_counter":340,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"such as Vision 2030. In Makueni County, we have the Konza City project, which we expected would by now be employing a large number of young people. We also have Thwake Dam, which has never been completed. It got stuck with only six per cent remaining. By now, farmers would be engaged in extensive irrigation, generating income for themselves and their families. However, the National Treasury fails to manage funds properly, and then offers the excuse that county allocations are only hitting accounts at the end of the financial year. It is clear that the counties have been unable to operate effectively. Then, the blame is placed on the Senate and the governors, with claims that they are not monitoring properly, yet it is the National Treasury and the CBK that delayed the funds. Additionally, numerous conditions are imposed so that by the time the money becomes operational, time has run out, and the same funds are sent back for re-allocation in the next financial year. This cycle of delays continues, yet the counties are unfairly blamed. The funds must reach the counties in good time. I believe that if counties and governors receive timely funding, they will be able to deliver. Likewise, we must also fulfil our role in properly overseeing the counties and ensuring that everything is done as required. There have been those administrative challenges. Yes, we have passed this Bill, there are monies at the national level and for the counties, but this money never gets to the counties in good time. The conditions given at the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) are such that we end up not doing anything in the counties. This is not the making of the county government, national Government or the Senate. Therefore, it is important that the Senate, through this Division of Revenue Bill, does the necessary monitoring and summary of the relevant institutions to come and explain why the delays yet Kenyans pay taxes. Why would you waste time at the National Treasury and why would the CBK hold these monies and not release them in good time to the governors making it difficult for everybody in the country? If governance was very efficient, we would not have these delays and challenges. We really want to have responsible Principal Secretaries (PSs) Cabinet Secretaries and Directorates, especially in the National Treasury. That is where even the ministries have to go and beg and are taken around in circles by technocrats. Finally, projects like Thwake Dam and the many other projects in the country have not taken off. Recently, I went to Nyeri and realised the dual carriage to Nyeri town got stuck somewhere. For the last two years, very little activity has been happening. We do not want dual carriages going to Nyeri alone. We want dual carriages going to different parts of the country, so that there is easy movement of goods and services. It should not only be for certain regions. We want the Northern Corridor opened up. We went to Turkana County - I must thank the leadership of the Senate for this. It opened up our eyes. We did our Committee sittings there, we went to Lake Turkana and realised that the fish, which gives the thread that is used to operate on all people who go through surgery in the world, comes from Lake Turkana, in Turkana County. That fish is so important. You can imagine how rare that fish is and how rare that commodity is and we are the ones supplying the whole"},{"id":1565926,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565926/?format=json","text_counter":341,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"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":1565927,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565927/?format=json","text_counter":342,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"May 21, 2025 SENATE DEBATES 54"},{"id":1565928,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565928/?format=json","text_counter":343,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"world. You can imagine how many operations go on everywhere in the world. That is a big resource in Turkana. Certainly, security should be provided in that corridor. That is a place which should be like Mombasa. Instead of people going to the Coast, people should also be going to big hotels along that important lake, do fishing and make the communities there live well, just like the many other communities in the country. This is where you know devolution is important. We have to actualise it. However, when the Division of Revenue Bill is the way it is, when will we ever develop such a county with so much resources in the country? That is where oil and a lot of underground water have been discovered, which can be used for irrigation. They have wonderful soil and people. How do we open up northern Kenya to have cities and big trading centres? The people there are very hardworking and should access credit. They can then be assisted by the county governments. For example, we have a cooperative movement, which should be implemented by the counties. We now have a new Act, which we are debating and it is in today’s list as one of the businesses of the House, to strengthen the cooperative movement, so that people can generate income. Thereafter, they can pay taxes and the country can proudly sit down and make a better budget than we have today. Besides, what do we have? We have a low collection of taxes from the counties. The money is not in circulation. Some businessmen and individuals are hoarding this money for their own benefit and it is not in circulation. Small businesses have died. People used to thrive and goods used to move faster. Now, the common Kenyan does not have the purchasing power. The youth are not gainfully employed. Nowadays, every Saturday or Sunday afternoon, you see the youth in Nairobi doing some wonderful jigs, which they share on social media platforms. Through that, they earn a living. That space should be expanded, so that people in the counties can generate income."},{"id":1565929,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565929/?format=json","text_counter":344,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Unless we export our coffee, tea, mangoes and oranges from the counties where there are no proper structures to make sure that we export--- There are brokers who have frustrated coffee and tea farmers. If we export, that is the time we get good exchange rates from the rest of the world. We are importing more than we export."},{"id":1565930,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565930/?format=json","text_counter":345,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"In conclusion, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the engine of commerce in the country is this Division of Revenue Bill. We have come here to share very little. We should be sharing much better if the people of this country get an opportunity to work or do business, generate income and pay taxes so that all can benefit."},{"id":1565931,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565931/?format=json","text_counter":346,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I thank you and support."}]}