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{
    "id": 1021779,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1021779/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 52,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": "There are many people in the county and national governments who would like to work in certain areas that are considered lucrative. Some of them are in the procurement departments. As a Senate, even as we consider this matter, we must not get ourselves to the situation of micromanaging county governments, particularly when they have to move staff from one department to another because they want to streamline the performance of that department or to protect staff suspected of misappropriation of funds from going back to certain departments that are familiar. Mr. Mutembei should be grateful that he still has a job to serve the people of Tharaka Nithi County. He must be ready to serve in other departments in the county. The Senate should allow the CPSB to freely find ways and mechanisms of deploying staff to different departments. I say this with a lot respect because when change of guard happens in 2022, some new governors will assume office. They may find that outgoing governors put certain staff in wrong places or as gatekeepers. They must have the flexibility to transfer staff across departments of the county, particularly when they work in departments that affect the functioning of the county government which may affect the governor. Many governors are in court because some procurement officers participated in corruption. We are told that some of them benefited directly. We cannot force a governor to retain certain officers in procurement department because the CPSB can independently assess certain requests that come from the office of the governor on where to deploy staff for effective management of the county government. While I appreciate Mr. Mutembei for having faith in the Senate, we must not stifle the right of county governments to run their affairs independently without being micromanaged by the Senate. To finalise, corruption and procurement matters are serious. As a Senate, I wish we ensure that--- I saw governors making some noise about our County Public Accounts and Investments Committee (CPAIC). I expect the Chair, Sen. (Prof.) Ongeri, who is an experienced public servant, to give reasoned response to the weighty allegations from the Council of Governors (CoG) that our Members are compromised in the manner in which they deal with governors. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we need as a Senate to acquit ourselves of these accusations and to deal with those governors regardless of whether we know them or they come from our political party. The nation is watching us to deal with those governors fairly without favor. It is now becoming apparently clear that certain governors are not facing the consequences of the law because they are politically correct. This Senate must not sanctify and clean. It must not be part of the dry cleaning process that some governors are taken through that has become very difficult to hold them accountable. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I request our party leaders out there not to be party to these processes where governors come through your offices to look for cleanliness and to avoid facing the music and the law. It is just because they sing, shout and finance your political The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}