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{
    "id": 1143428,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1143428/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 262,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Seme, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) James Nyikal",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 434,
        "legal_name": "James Nyikal",
        "slug": "james-nyikal"
    },
    "content": "overarching Act. An omnibus Bill covering so many laws with so many various objectives is likely to cause confusion. That is why the Committee had to come in and do very many amendments. Because of this, it ignored very many basic principles like the principle of representation. We are all aware that when dealing with regulatory bodies, professional representation is important. Even in service delivery institutions like the NHIF and KEMSA, representation is very important. Self-regulation is particularly important when dealing with professional bodies. This Bill as it is now is overpopulated with Government officers like Permanent Secretaries and the Attorney-General. Therefore, denying the stakeholders a chance to participate while it is saying it is adhering to the Mwongozo Code of Governance… Hon. Speaker, I am really craving your attention - okay, there is the Hansard . We want to know whether this Mwongozo Code of Governance is an instrument that can guide or change what Parliament has done on this basis alone. For example, when we were looking at representation in NHIF, very many important institutions like the TSC, service providers and stakeholders were left out. If you look at the NHIF organisation, institutions like the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) were left out. If you look at regulatory bodies like the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) and the Kenya Medical Association (KMA), very few professionals are in there and we have Government officers in their place. To this extent, if this Bill passes as it is, it will be a disaster for professional regulation and even stakeholder participation in all the affected laws. However, when this Bill came here, the issue of public participation arose a lot. The Committee looked at this and has made massive amendments. I beg to be guided on the principle of the number of amendments that can be made on a Bill and it still represents the original objectives. That has bothered me. There are so many of them to the extent that the amendments actually took care of the stand of the stakeholders and the Committee then agreed to take those amendments. So, it is on that basis that I will support this Bill. I want to appeal to the Mover that when these amendments come to the Committee of the whole House, we ensure that our colleagues in the House take keen attention on them. If we casually treat it the way we take the Committee of whole House where a couple of us just sit here and say “Ayes” and “Noes”, then we will be creating a disaster for the country. Having had some consultations and assurance that the Committee amendments will carry the day, I support the Bill with that reservation. Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}