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{
    "id": 1277946,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1277946/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 311,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Elgeyo Marakwet, Independent",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Caroline Ng’elechei",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "aware of their existence. Some are aware of the existence of the funds, but do not know any other thing about them. An example is the Women Enterprise Development Fund. You will find that there are villages where women do not know about the existence of the Fund. As a county Member of Parliament, at times I am asked questions by members of the public when I am going to issue the Women Enterprise Development Fund, the Youth Enterprise Development Fund or the National Government Affirmative Action Fund. That tells you that there is a mix-up. The Government should find a way of communicating the services and privileges they offer to the people of the Republic of Kenya, so that every person, whether living in Nairobi, in the interior of Elgeyo Marakwet, or in any part of the country, knows what the Government gives each person as a privilege for proper utilisation and equalisation. Nonetheless, the funds have gone a long way to help the people of the Republic of Kenya. However, I will dwell much on the weaknesses of the funds. You will find that some people who are in charge of the Special Funds handle them as personal property or something that is a preserve of those with information and authority. This Committee and other audit committees find it very difficult when trying to follow up on queries because of late submissions. You find that many officers, during audit, submit their documentation late. I always ask myself why somebody gets to work late yet they are not paid late. As an auditor or as a person who knows that an institution is waiting for your report at the end of the financial year to make a decision, what appropriate answer do you give for not being ready on what has already been spent? At times, I believe there is laxity in those organisations. Many of them mismanage the funds. Some will even tell you how they have not collected money given to people as loans in three, four, or five years. When you ask them why not, they tell you that they do not have enough resources and motor vehicles. Then you wonder what they are still doing in office. The people responsible for these Special Funds should know that they are there because they are meant to seal some gaps that need to be felt by the people of the Republic of Kenya. Secondly, you may find an accounting officer together with an auditor yet they are unable to submit relevant documents. If you ask me, a situation where an accounting officer does not have relevant documentation should be an audit query. Why are you not able to submit any documentation needed by an auditor at a particular time? By doing so, you are wasting resources and time of the Government and the people who are the utilisers of those funds. There is need for officers dealing with these funds to be sensitive enough to utilisers. There is a difference between the Government and the private sector employees. Visit a private accounting firm and you will not find the same issues happening there. An example is the Uwezo Fund or the Women Enterprise Development Fund where you find accountants unable to submit documents on time. A person working in a huge bank or a SACCO will do his or her work timely yet they deal with more money than Government employees do. The employees and staff should pull up their socks to ensure that these funds revolve many times for maximum utilisation. The Committee gave an example of the Uwezo Fund that depends on sub-county youth officers for submission of constituency returns. There are funds that depend on staff from other entities of the Government to give them information. When it becomes a third-party issue, they deal with it the way they want. For example, we have heard very many county members of parliament complaining about gender officers because they have not been having coordinators. As a result, they have been dealing with gender officers. These officers handle issues at their own pleasure. We might not blame them at times because of the amount of work they have to do in their own departments. When the Government engages people for internships and attachments, it should focus on such funds because they are very important to the people of the Republic of Kenya. 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."
}