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{
    "id": 1276742,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1276742/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 48,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Bumula, DAP-K",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Wanami Wamboka",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "undertake technical training in public works related to technical skills and may assist the Government in the management of Government projects. KNEC has since engaged the KTTC to help complete the new Mitihani House through a government-to-government arrangement, which is commendable. The Departmental Committee should consider amending the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 2015. This speaks to the good Chairman, Hon. Melly, who is capable. This is to provide a priority consideration of Government agencies which can provide certain services. Hon. Speaker, another issue we encountered was the failure by most public entities to adhere to gender, ethnicity, regional balance, and other considerations in staffing. Several institutions have skewed ethnic diversity within their staff complements, especially at the senior management level. This was manifested in those agencies domiciled in areas predominantly inhabited by a particular ethnic community. Despite the explanation from the accounting officers that the lack of diversity was prevalent in the lower cadres, the Committee believes that with the rife unemployment countrywide, attracting an ethnically diverse pool of applicants for advertised jobs is tenable. You would find a public university with 99 percent of its employees coming from one ethnic community, which is unfair. We want to lobby this House to ensure ethnic balance in the workforces of all public entities so that every Kenyan can feel and believe that they can work anywhere in this country. The Committee recommends that in future, all public agencies must comply with the constitutional provisions on equity and inclusiveness, which have been buttressed by the National Cohesion and Integration Act No.12 of 2008. Further, the Committee recommends that the National Cohesion and Integration Commission and the Inspectorate of State Corporations conduct a bi-annual examination of ethnic composition in the state-owned enterprises to confirm an incremental address of this matter. Hon. Speaker, I will specifically mention our engagement with the HELB and the KUCCPS, where, among other issues, we engage them on placement and funding of students in tertiary institutions. Much of the cases on capitation will be discussed in our second Report on training institutions and universities. However, we have pushed KUCCPS, HELB, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, and other relevant institutions to limit public funds to public institutions. Most of our public universities are dying at the expense of private universities. I must thank the Departmental Committee on Education as we have worked very well with them. We have tremendously reduced the Budget that has been going to private universities. Many students from public schools have since been taken to public universities. This time, KUCCPS have placed a minimum number of students in private institutions at their own cost, save for loan applications available to all. While discussing the KUCCPS placement, we urge the Government that there is an outcry about the high university fees, especially for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. The fees have increased to levels parents cannot afford to pay. My Committee promises to audit all funds issued to private entities so far. We had asked for a forensic audit. We are waiting for a report being concluded by the Auditor-General for that special audit, and very soon, we shall table it in this House. With those remarks, I beg to move and urge this House to adopt this Report. I request Hon. Mwenje to second the Motion. Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}