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{
    "id": 104585,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/104585/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 610,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Keynan",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 41,
        "legal_name": "Adan Wehliye Keynan",
        "slug": "adan-keynan"
    },
    "content": "Chebukaka. The innocent officer went to London but he was rejected by the High Commissioner on the basis of tribal considerations, on the basis of cronyism, corruption and other vices. These individuals need to be protected. There is an instance where the commercial attaché brought an introductory letter to one of the officers posted to a mission. The head of that mission rushed to the bank and said “how can you introduce such an officer since he did not---“ and that officer had authority from none other than the Accounting Officer. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, these might sound like small issues, but in the eyes of the international community and Kenyans in the Diaspora, these issues need to be addressed. The issue concerning High Commissioner, Muchemi, is the talk all over. Kenya is supposed to be the diplomatic hub of the entire African Continent. The policy of Kenya is supposed to make it a leading country in diplomatic representation not only in southern Sahara, but in the entire continent. That must be protected at all costs. The only way we can do it is by having proper policies and implementation of the same by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Diplomatic representation is a cardinal aspect of any Government. However, when this issue is intertwined with corruption, tribalism, regionalism, favouritism and so on--- I do not want to take you through the list of our staff and the staff structure in all of our 52 Missions. If you go through it, you will find that there is clear indication of abuse of office. This could have happened over the last 15 years. These issues must be addressed. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, again, with due respect to my colleague, hon. Wetangula, he is a lawyer and senior counsel. If anything, this Ministry ought to have benefitted from his legal expertise. This is the time we expected this Ministry to be managed better. Some of the issues might have been carried over, over the years. Right now, I want to challenge the Minister to take into account the realities. We cannot say that we are modernising one arm of the Government and at the same time leave the other arms rotting. This Ministry is the face of Kenya. If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not doing well, then the other arms of Government will not be doing well. This is the reality we must face. I plead with my brother here to redouble what he has been doing and restructure that Ministry without fear or favour. By doing so, he will have saved every Kenyan. He will have reshaped and rebranded the face of every Kenyan. We will be proud when we walk out there. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if you go to London and visit some of the offices in Britain, I am not sure whether you will be proud to be a Kenyan. We are looked down upon in that country simply because of what has been happening over the years. I want this to go on record. There is a junior officer who was posted as a driver in 2003. My brother here might not have been the Minister then. That officer was suspended and interdicted by the Public Service Commission (PSC)."
}