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{
    "id": 1353032,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1353032/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 248,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "that this House approves are those that are provided in the Constitution that need to be approved by Parliament. You find that there is legislation that still comes to this House with the same provision. I like the fact that this provision has pointed out clearly that the approval for the person who will serve as Food and Safety Controller will be by Parliament. The said lady or gentleman will be presented to both Houses, who will look into their competencies, hold them accountable and either approve or deny them approval based on the competence that they present before our various Committees. That is a step in the right direction. That is what was envisioned in the spirit of the 2010 Constitution. Clause 8 (1) of the Bill lists the qualifications of this particular person that – “A person shall qualify to be appointed as the Controller if that person - Qualifications of the Controller. (a) Holds a Master’s degree in a discipline related to food safety or feed safety”. That is very important so that we do not fill the position with cronies who do not understand what this is all about. I like the fact that Clause 8(2) of the Bill also provided that - “The Controller may be appointed for a term of three years and shall be eligible for reappointment for a final term of three years”. We need to standardize the public service. I have seen a bad habit mostly with our colleagues in the National Assembly. In the last Parliament, due to certain considerations, there are certain Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) who served five years and others serve for three years in the Public Service. All studies have pointed us as a Country and we have come to the realization that if you are a CEO and within three years you are unable to effect the change that is desired in an institution, then we should give the Board the permission to either renew or terminate your contract. If you are competent, they should give you further three years. By the time you finish six years in an institution, you have done all you could do in that office. This is not a private affair. This is about public office. That is why I like the proposal in this Bill. Colleagues, I move that in this term Parliament, let us standardize appointments into public offices. Let us keep it at a maximum of six years. Break it at year three. If you are competent, we renew. If you do not get it, we send you home and give the opportunity to other Kenyans to serve. Public Service continues to suffer with fellows who stick in offices and sometimes we are doomed for five years. In most cases, once such CEOs have been appointed, we cannot do anything about it. Therefore, I like this provision. I also like Clause 13 where it is envisioned that- “The Controller shall be paid such remuneration or allowances as the Salaries and Remuneration Commission may determine. Remuneration of the Controller”. I appreciate that. We need to set a culture. It is my vision and hope that we shall make all the necessary statutory changes so that by the end of this term SRC sets the salaries of all Public and State Officers in this Country. There are still certain institutions"
}