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{
    "id": 124555,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/124555/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 398,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. I.E. Mohamed",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Development of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 82,
        "legal_name": "Mohamed Ibrahim Elmi",
        "slug": "mohamed-elmi"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this chance. First, I would like to thank Mr. Ethuro for bringing this Bill which I support whole heartedly. This country requires serious consideration in the way we conduct our affairs. Many people have said that it is good to have a lean Cabinet but I think this Bill is more than that in terms of what it seeks to do. This Bill will harmonise functions and allow predictability so that when a child is in secondary school, he or she will know which Ministry does what functions. Those of us with my hair style and have been around for long know that there was a time when every primary school child knew every Minister, Permanent Secretary and Ministry and what they did. So, it will allow predictability, which is good for many things. It is good for business and efficiency. It will save a lot of money in itself. Probably, we will not be saving money in terms of salaries because all the functions that are being performed are necessary, but the level of lack of harmony is very expensive. Therefore, I support this aspect. I also support this Bill, knowing that we are reviewing our Constitution. Therefore, the debate that we are having on this Bill, once we pass it, will inform the new Constitution, so that we can anchor it right in the Constitution to make sure that the conduct of the Executive, the number of Ministries and their functions and the functions of the Ministers are made very clear. This Bill will also make it easy for Ministries to be sufficiently stable and able to reach all parts of this country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, once the Ministries are known, they can plan for 20 years. With Ministries that are formed every five years and shuffled around, planning for the long-term becomes very difficult. Recently, I was with Hon. Gumo in Tathia. We found a project that has been going on for over 45 years, which was meant to improve a region like northern Kenya that was left behind. With successive changes of Government, it was not implemented. They have done over 1,000 kilometres of irrigation. They have 40 years added to their plans. So, this Bill will allow that kind of planning. Of course, this will save taxpayers money because, currently, there is a substantial number of duplication. With those few remarks, I beg to fully support the Bill."
}