{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=156863","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=156861","results":[{"id":1586812,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1586812/?format=json","text_counter":1219,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Endebess, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. (Dr) Robert Pukose","speaker":null,"content":"find that the county allocations reveal that eight counties account for 60 per cent of the Ksh16.8 billion as per the Financial Years 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 allocations. There are many challenges. The Equalisation Fund was initially implemented through various ministries such as the Ministry of Health, Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) and other agencies to ensure these areas got services. This met challenges necessitating change of regulations. The Committee proposed amendments in this Bill. The allocated funds will not be deposited into the county revenue fund accounts. Instead, they will be transferred directly to a special purpose account, opened by each beneficiary county, at the Central Bank of Kenya. This arrangement enhances financial control and ensures that the funds are used exclusively for their intended purposes. We have seen diversion of money meant for the health function. That is how we came up with the Facilities Improvement Financing (FIF) to make sure that money that is allocated for health is used for health. Therefore, the enactment of this Bill constitutes sufficient legal authority for the Controller of Budget to approve and authorise withdrawals from the Fund, streamlining the disbursement process. In addition, the Bill also provides that once the Controller of Budget authorises a withdrawal from the Equalisation Fund and the secretary of the board submits written instructions through the National Treasury requesting the release of the funds, these documentations constitute sufficient authority for the CBK to effect payment from the Fund account. This ensures that there is some accountability and the money is going directly to those projects. When you look at the allocations in terms of the schedule which is there, First Schedule, allocation per county and per constituency, they have projects which have been approved by the board. Therefore, if the money is diverted into other issues, then you have pending bills. Hon. Temporary Speaker, as we speak, we have pending bills from the first disbursement and money that is lying about within the ministries not having been utilised because there were hitches in as far as legal challenges that came in during that time where we had governors going to court and we even had amendments to the regulations."},{"id":1586813,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1586813/?format=json","text_counter":1220,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Endebess, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. (Dr) Robert Pukose","speaker":null,"content":"Therefore, the Committee having scrutinised this, feels that outstanding arrears to the Equalisation Fund stood at Ksh46.5 billion as of June 2024 against accumulative entitlement of Ksh59.96 billion since the Fund’s conception. This means that only Ksh13.3 billion, equivalent to 22.4 per cent of the total entitlement amount has been disbursed to the Fund. This shortfall in funding not only undermines the Fund’s credibility, but also poses a serious threat to the achievement of its core mandates considering that the Fund had a lifetime of 20 years. Therefore, it might be coming to an end, but I think in the wisdom of this House, we can still do an amendment to extend that period for the Fund."},{"id":1586814,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1586814/?format=json","text_counter":1221,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Endebess, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. (Dr) Robert Pukose","speaker":null,"content":"Hon. Temporary Speaker, with those few remarks, I second."},{"id":1586815,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1586815/?format=json","text_counter":1222,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Question proposed)"},{"id":1586816,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1586816/?format=json","text_counter":1223,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Peter Kaluma","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Hon. Samwel Moroto, is recognised."},{"id":1586817,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1586817/?format=json","text_counter":1224,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Kapenguria, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Samwel Chumel","speaker":null,"content":" Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I want to thank the Members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee led by the Hon. Chairman and the Hon. Vice-Chairman. Let me share my personal history. When we got Independent in 1963, I was two years old. I used to sing in the choir for Mzee Kenyatta and then I served Presidents Moi, Kibaki, Uhuru and the current President. Hon. Chairman knows that what happens here, is our normal game and I like it. This is a legislation team. We are among the three Arms of Government. Therefore, let us be serious. We are talking about the Equalisation Fund. The ASAL areas were barred by the Sessional Paper No.10 of 1965, from accessing anything from the Kenyan The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."},{"id":1586818,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1586818/?format=json","text_counter":1225,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Kapenguria, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Samwel Chumel","speaker":null,"content":"Government. It affected some of us from West Pokot. West Pokot became a closed district and that is why Kenyatta and the five others; the Kapenguria Six, were jailed. I want to sincerely thank all the legislators. I was here during President Moi’s time when Hon. Raila became our Secretary-General for KANU and Minister for Energy. He is the champion of what we are celebrating as devolved governance in the Constitution of Kenya 2010. There is nothing I regret about that. There were 14 counties originally listed, and others were later added, because all are Kenyan citizens and must benefit from what is being implemented. But let us be serious. This is our National Assembly, and we are discussing matters under the national Government. The Equalisation Fund was placed under the national Government, not under the county governments. Now, if we decide today and say, let us transfer this to the counties, then we are shifting the goalposts. Most of these governors were in this House. Due to greed, they want to divert everything to their side. But I appreciate the way we are currently discussing this matter. Although we are few in this chamber, we shall do something substantive. Let us remain firm. The National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA), and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) should remain under the national Government. I am a teacher by profession. At one time, I served as the Chairman of the Kenya National Union of Teachers during the leadership of Adeya Adongo and John Katumanga. I later became the Executive Secretary. When my Member of Parliament, the late Lotodo Francis, who served as a Minister, died, that is how I came to be in this House. I shall not say much more. But I wish to stress this: Let us stand by what is written in our Constitution. I contributed to it. I was in the secretariat at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC). Who is now attempting to water it down?"},{"id":1586819,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1586819/?format=json","text_counter":1226,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Peter Kaluma","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Hon. Naisula Lesuuda."},{"id":1586820,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1586820/?format=json","text_counter":1227,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Samburu West, KANU","speaker_title":"Hon. Naisula Lesuuda","speaker":null,"content":" Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I also thank Hon. Moroto for the very insightful history lesson that he has just taken us through. I would like to congratulate the Members of the Budget and Appropriation Committee, where I also serve, under the able leadership of Hon. Atandi, and our Vice-Chairman, Hon. Pukose, for the excellent work done to ensure that we have a budget that is based on consensus, with no acrimony. This includes the Equalisation Fund Appropriation Bill. Allow me to speak to three points. First, on the issue of the Exchequer. There is a distinction between appropriation and actual disbursement of funds. I raise this point in regard to the Equalisation Fund and to county allocations in general. When we pass supplementary budgets in this House, the national Government is typically subjected to budget cuts. However, county governments still receive their full allocation for the financial year. Therefore, the Ksh415 billion that county governments will receive from the next financial year, which this House shall soon pass, is fully guaranteed. Even though we have pending arrears in relation to the Equalisation Fund, counties must acknowledge that they do receive the money appropriated by this House. This shows that Parliament is performing its duties, and the National Treasury is playing its part by ensuring that the funds reach the counties. Thus, even as county leaders agitate for increased allocations, they must acknowledge that the funds already allocated are being disbursed. Second, as I mentioned earlier, there is the issue of the Exchequer. Most Members will now return to their constituencies, quoting the Appropriation Bill, saying a given project will be implemented in their area. However, by the end of the financial year, and after several supplementary budgets, many of these projects end up not being funded. Therefore, Hon. Temporary Speaker, we must prioritise funding for what has been passed by this House, especially issues to do with capitation of schools and other basics like the Universal Health The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."},{"id":1586821,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1586821/?format=json","text_counter":1228,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Samburu West, KANU","speaker_title":"Hon. Naisula Lesuuda","speaker":null,"content":"Care (UHC). We should ensure and confirm that money for things that really touch on Kenyans is available"}]}