Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1145022,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1145022/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 221,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kisumu East, Independent",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Shakeel Shabbir",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 140,
        "legal_name": "Ahmed Shakeel Shabbir Ahmed",
        "slug": "shakeel-shabbir"
    },
    "content": "We were in China at the Institute of Governance with 20 Members of Parliament. It was a very secure environment and others could not enter without going through detailed security check. Guess what happened? By the second day, there was a lady from Hong Kong who somehow broke through the system and was talking to our Members of Parliament about wealth management. That is the sort of thing which turned out that what the guy was doing – and they are very sharp - when they tender, a person comes to a governor and tells him that he needs a stadium, and the governor will agree that they need a stadium. So, they tell him that they will build the stadium. When asked how much it will cost, they say about Kshs300 million or Kshs400 million. So, the governor will say: ‘Put it at about Kshs800 million.’ So, the county will put a request and it will come through the system to our co-operation here with the Chinese. The actual amount is Kshs300 million, but the figure put in place is Kshs800 million. The ‘tender-preneurs’ have sliced off Kshs500 million even before the thing works! So, the contractor who is given the contract is given Kshs300 million. I am talking on behalf of the Chinese contractors. They are not given the Kshs800 million. And then they also now tighten down. So, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker this is a very important Bill and we wish to support it whole heartedly. I wish to say at this moment that having fought for the Procurement Act against illicit funding, which was assented to by the President, there are one or two rogue lawyers who are trying to pull this country back by fighting that particular law. I want to tell this House that we were close to being grey-listed. That would have greatly affected the financial transactions of this country, and guess who would have benefitted: the people who were working on the Goldenberg foreign exchange scam. They were hoping and praying that our country would be put on grey status. This is what is called “budgeted corruption.” It is a major issue. I am pleased that after 10 years, the NSSF has finally charged those guys. There is another case whose report was even tabled in this House some years back when I was the Chairman of the defunct Local Authorities Fund Accounts Committee (LAFAC). The Report mentioned four people of interest and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) agreed that the four were people of interest. There was a Cabinet Secretary for Local Government at the time, the Permanent Secretary (PS), former Mayor Majiwa and others. That Report never surfaced again. When I tried to bring it back, I was frustrated. One of the best Town Clerks of Nairobi City then, the late Gakuo, was arrested. He died a bitter man in prison. There was another gentleman – a Permanent Secretary whose name I cannot remember – who was imprisoned yet others got away with it. So, what we want is this impunity to end. I pray that in the next Parliament, the Government that will take over will continue with the fight that President Uhuru Kenyatta has started. We have a very good name abroad. It is only here that hooligans are spoiling our name. I am a sad person because people of my colour, and not of my inclination, are the ones who have been involved in these scams. Whether it is Pattni or Somaia, why are they walking around freely while the Government is doing nothing? Why can we not take them to Uhuru Park and hang them? Why can we not do what President Duterte does in Philippines? We need effective action – and we want it now – against people who are found guilty. Thank you."
}