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{
    "id": 1076242,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1076242/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 376,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kanduyi, FORD-K",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Wafula Wamunyinyi",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 291,
        "legal_name": "Athanas Misiko Wafula Wamunyinyi",
        "slug": "athanas-wamunyinyi"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to also contribute to the PAC Report. I join colleagues in commending the Chair and the Members of the PAC for this Report, which is very voluminous. I must admit I have been unable to read through. I have looked at some of the key issues. The PAC is a key Committee of this House. It is one of the very important and, in fact, the most important committees of this House. It is mandated to examine the appropriations that were voted by this House for public expenditure. At the same time, it has a key role on behalf of the entire House to oversee, look at the expenditure of Government departments, institutions of the Government and commissions. It has to look at the expenditures with the spirit of ensuring that there is value for every shilling that has been appropriated. Working with the friends of Parliament, the Office of the Auditor-General helps the process of examining witnesses and looking at the audit queries as flagged out by the Auditor-General. They listen to evidence, examine documents and make reports for the House. Additionally, once a report such as we have before us is adopted, it normally has recommendations that must be taken seriously once the House has adopted the report. We have had persistent reports of wastage, corruption, pilferage and loss of public resources. Moreover, there have been tough recommendations from the Committee as to what actions should be taken. These has happened even with the Public Investments Committee. The PAC and PIC have come up with very strong recommendations which if implemented, obviously, will prevent wastage. This country will make a lot of progress in terms of development if we save the stolen funds. This House is expected to pursue those recommendations. As it happens, the memorandum normally is a kind of feedback. The House is given memorandum from the National Treasury, the Government, to state the actions it has taken in the particular recommendation. It is also up to the House to ensure that the recommendation is forthcoming and it clearly paints out what the Government has done in that respect. Therefore, I join colleagues in emphasising and stressing the fact that you can have strong and good recommendations, but if they are not implemented, you have not done any work. We have been informed that corruption is rampant. Truly, it is rampant and we are even aware that is starts at budgeting. The budgeting process is where corruption starts. When money is appropriated for a particular project, cartels are waiting for it. They sit and plan that the money must go to a particular line item in the budget. Then it goes on up to the procurement level. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the same people are involved in budgeting, procurement and implementation. So, it is a cycle and a cartel as described. It is a serious disease in our country. For us to deal with this, we must strengthen Government agencies that are handling corruption cases. We must put in place measures to prevent this because we know how corruption takes place. We know how payments are made, and how shortcuts are undertaken when it comes to procurement. Why do the Government agencies responsible not take appropriate action? 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."
}