Official Opening of the Fourth Session of the Kajiado County Assembly
From kajiado.go.ke
H.E. Joseph Lenku today officially opened The First sitting of the Fourth Session of The Kajiado County Assembly with a strong message of unity of purpose between the two arms of government that he said will ensure all development initiatives are on track in the run up to the next general elections.
In his address to the Members, the Governor reiterated his vision of fulfilling most of the pledges made to the electorate in his manifesto, most of which he said have been implemented as outlined in the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) 2018-2022. He said the County Treasury intends to seal all existing revenue collection gaps to boost revenue collection to surpass last year’s Sh1Bn mark so as to ensure a boosted allocation from the Exchequer as well as will enable his administration to implement more development projects the in the next Financial Year. He asserted that towards this realization, the County Government is determined to clear all pending development bills which stood at Sh1billion, Sh581Million of which had been paid out by the close of the first half of this Financial Year. Recurrent expenditure bills amounted to Sh939Million as at December 31, 2019, Sh280Million of this had already been settled.
Towards the recently launched County Bursary and Scholarship programme, the Governor urged the County Assembly to fast-track the amendments to the Kajiado County Public Finance Management ( County Bursary Fund ) Regulations ,2019 that will set a legal framework to guide the programme.
On matters education, The Governor urged the County Assembly to fast-track the amendments to the Kajiado County Public Finance Management ( County Bursary Fund ) Regulations ,2019 that will set a legal framework to guide the recently launched County Bursary and Scholarship programme. The annual bursary kitty which has tripled from Sh40M in 2013 to Sh150M in the current Financial Year has with it raised the number of beneficiaries from 3,000 to more than 9,000. 430 students, 250 of whom are in Secondary Schools and 180 in colleges and universities have also benefited from the Scholarship Programme.
Lenku said health matters continue to be a top priority of his administration with equipping of medical facilities around the County in top gear. He singled out the Lenku The Mother Child Health (MCH) complex at Kajiado Referral Hospital, ready for operationalization in the coming weeks, the fully equipped
Kitengela hospital and Ngong Sub County Hospital Theatre and Male and Female Wards as well as Construction and equipping of a theatre at Rongai Health Centre, currently at procurement stage. To cater to the gaps in the administration at the County Hospital he said his government will employ hospital administrators at the four major hospitals; Kajiado Referral,Ngong’, Ongata Rongai, Loitokitok and Kitengela Sub County hospitals.
On Infrastructure development, he assured more road construction projects akin to the completed tarmac roads in Kitengela, Kiserian, Ngong ,Ongata Rongai and the Central Business District within the Financial Year. This he said went hand in hand with promotion of trade and creation of trade spaces such as the Rombo retail market which waits commissioning with Ngong, Kitengela, Kiserian and Ilasit retail markets earmarked for completion and occupation in the next two years.
In his address, the Governor intimated that efforts to fast track payments of pending compensation claims to victims of human-wildlife conflicts had paid off with 50 per cent of the families that lost their kin in wildlife attacks being fully compensated at the requisite rate of Sh 5 million per family.
On Legislation, the Governor challenged the County Assembly Members to embrace the spirit of collective responsibility, that members are not seen to be overly critical of legislation regulations, policies or Bills out there, when they are still within the armpit of the Assembly. This he said was the recipe for success or failure of the County Goverment. He urged the MCAs to fast-track pending legislative tasks including Bills and Policies from the Executive as well as from Private Members. He outlined the follow legislative business for the Fourth Session; The Kajiado County Villages Bill (2019), The Kajiado County Climate Change Bill (2019), The Kajiado County Environment Management Bill (2019). The Kajiado County Finance Bill (2019) as well as The Kajiado County Quarry Bill which have all been submitted to the County Assembly for consideration.
Lenku equally noted and appreciated the effort members are putting in ensuring in enacting laws that are useful to the people. he particularly noted five Private Members Bills that require huge support from the Assembly during this session.
(i)The Kajiado County Agriculture Development Bill (2019) by Honourable Joshua Oluwuasa.
(ii) Kajiado County Rain Water Harvesting Bill (2019) by Honourable Onesmus Ngogoyo.
(iii)The Kajiado County Livestock Sale Yard Bill (2019) by Honourable Jackson Mpaada.
(iv). The Kajiado County Corporate Social Responsibility Bill (2019) by Honourable Joseph Masiaya.
(v). The Kajiado County Animal Disease Control (2019) by Honorable Amos Peshut.
He pointed out that The Kajiado County Investment Policy; The Kajiado County Cultural and Heritage Policy as well as the Kajiado Women Economic Empowerment Policy were pending before the County Assembly.
Alongside these policies are petitions by various stakeholders; notably a petition on the Effects of processing of soda ash by Tata Chemicals Magadi Ltd in Kajiado Town and one by Kitengela residents on Introduction of payment of rates on freehold tenure and review of rates payable to leasehold tenure.
Others include a petition by Ngong Council of Village Elders on Enactment of legislation to provide for delineation and establishment of village units within Kajiado County as well as a petition submitted on Employment of the local indigenous community in all private companies/ public institutions and flower farms operating in Kajiado County.
In the same breathe, the Governor highlighted
that key regulations important for the social-economic well-being of the County were pending before the County Assembly and urged the Honorable Members to act fast to consider them. They include :
(i)Amendments to the Kajiado County Public Finance Management (County Bursary Fund) Regulations (2019)
(ii) Alcoholic Drinks Control (Licensing) Regulations, 2019.
The Governor’s address touched on the political atmosphere in the Country with the
The Building Bridges Initiative which he said was conceptualized by President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as a platform through which certain ills that bedevil the country can be changed. He intimated that the County will within the week be presenting a memorandum in Narok expressing a wish to be incorporated in the final BBI Report. He called upon all honourable members to embrace and board the BBI train and seize the opportunity that could soon transform the County’s political landscape as well as fight injustices and create prosperity for the people. He urged them to keep a focused mind, an open heart and show the county the great things that they, together with the Executive, can do.
