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{
    "id": 1034787,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1034787/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 265,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Robert Mbui (",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1750,
        "legal_name": "Robert Mbui",
        "slug": "robert-mbui"
    },
    "content": "Kathiani, WDM-K): Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. This Report reads like work of fiction. In fact, it is like a novel on crime. This Report is shocking. It breaks my heart to imagine that people have used the COVID-19 Pandemic to make money. It is like they are dancing on the graves of the dead. I have just looked at how the blatant theft of public funds has been done. How has this money been stolen? The Report tells us that there are companies that were set up in anticipation. When the COVID-19 Pandemic broke out elsewhere, they knew that it would reach us. Therefore, they formed companies. There is a company which was incorporated on Valentine’s Day. That was before the first case of Coronavirus was discovered. The company was given a contract worth Kshs970 million on 30th April. That is about two months later. The KEMSA was not even doing price surveys, which is against the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act. There was a complete breakdown of communication between KEMSA and the Ministry of Health. Clearly, this was done so that the Ministry could not oversee them as expected. There was a problem between the KEMSA management team and its Board. This Report tells us that commitment letters were given to companies without prices and schedules. The CEO himself at that point gave nine such letters. The companies that were given the letters were not prequalified. The Report tells us that the procurement was done without a budget, which contradicts the law. Apparently, the Management of KEMSA ignored even the advisory that was given by the institution’s own head of procurement. When all this was happening, the head of finance kept quiet yet he was the person who was supposed to say that the institution was committing itself over and above its budget. As a result of that, KEMSA has ended up with stocks worth Kshs6.1 billion that cannot be sold because the items are overpriced. It is unfortunate that this country can go through this. When I heard that the Jack Ma Foundation donated some 21 packages, I thought it was a story created by the media. I thought it was some kind of a sick joke, only for me to subsequently find out that the packages were received and eventually stolen. It is really unfortunate. I want to go to the recommendations, which I support. I will start with the one where they are saying that face masks should be provided within 14 days. That is one of the problems we are facing as a country. Recently, my people were arrested at market places in the rural areas. Sometimes people have to choose between buying food and buying face masks. People were arrested because they did not have money with which to buy face masks yet we have the COVID- 19 billionaires who stole public money walking scot-free. I agree with the recommendation that says that all the COVID-19 equipment stocks should be released for use by doctors and health workers. How can doctors and nurses be dying because they do not have PPEs yet KEMSA has piles of PPEs stocked up in its stores? I think it is a tragedy. Hon. Speaker, I agree with you on the aspect of who should handle this matter. These are crimes against humanity. In fact, these people should even have proposed that this matter to go to the ICC at The Hague. That is where these people should be taken, but in the absence of such recommendation, we can specify the EACC. Unfortunately, what has been happening is that a lot 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."
}