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"speaker_name": "Mr. Keynan",
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"legal_name": "Adan Wehliye Keynan",
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"content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations expressed its displeasure at the functions and performance of some of our Diplomatic Missions abroad. The three cardinal principles in diplomatic representation abroad are to project, promote and protect the good image of Kenya. This is covered under the Foreign Service Regulations, which is again a product of the functions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In diplomatic circles, the Foreign Service Regulations are supposed to be like the Bible or the Quran. You are supposed to follow them to the letter. 43 Wednesday, 7th April, 2010(A) Yours is to project a good image of your country, its citizens and its President because Foreign Affairs is a docket that ideally reflects the aspirations of the Head of State. That is the reality. So, this is a disaster not only to the people of Kenya, but to none other than His Excellency the President. Right now, some of our Foreign Missions have been vacant for the last 18 months. We pay rent for those offices. What are we telling those countries? Why not close those Missions if you cannot agree on the appointment of an Ambassador or a High Commissioner? This is an issue that we must address. It cannot be part of the confusion and collusion within the current coalition. These are issues about which one must be pragmatic. They are issues that must be addressed, because diplomacy is a very sensitive issue. I want to believe that those of you, who are senior stalwarts within the current coalition, please, play your politics elsewhere. Do not do it within the diplomatic circles. It is going to harm all of us. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, in this Report, there are individuals whom we think should be investigated. Why should they be investigated? We have public officers who have completely disregarded instructions from their bosses and, as a result, the taxpayers incurred expenses that would have been avoided. I want to take you to the London scenario. The High Commissioner, who is legitimately appointed by the President, was housed in a rented flat. Our house, which was bought using taxpayersâ money, was occupied by somebody who was not entitled to live there. The rent we lost as a result of hat house totals to about Sterling Pounds 48,000. The rent that we used to accommodate the High Commissioner totalled to about Sterling Pounds12, 000. So, we are talking about Sterling Pounds 60,000. We are not talking about other allowances or other fringe benefits or lost opportunities. Just because of accommodating High Commissioner Ngare, we incurred that expenditure, simply because somebody had refused to quit the official residence of our High Commissioner. So, this kind of impunity must be dealt with head-on, regardless of oneâs political connection."
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