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{
    "id": 1355384,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1355384/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 158,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kilifi North, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Owen Baya",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity. I would like to make my contribution as follows. The law we are debating here today is a feather on the war against corruption in this country. It will strengthen institutions and ensure that people are not conflicted as they exercise the authorities they are given in public offices. This law will right many wrongs in this country like misuse of power to benefit family, relatives and friends. This law will give an equal opportunity to all Kenyans. My community does not have many individuals who hold high offices or Government positions. They get disadvantaged in recruitments because the officers who occupy high offices recruit their relatives. My community, the Mijikenda and Giriama, do not have people in high places. When a recruitment is done by the Government or parastatals, including those in their backyards, they do not appear anywhere. There are many parastatals in the Coast region, but when the managing director or the person in the highest position hails from a certain region, the qualified locals are overlooked just because of discrimination. I laud this law. It will give qualified people from my community an opportunity to also serve this country and generate income. Today, many Government officers have formed their own companies. For instance, there are chief officers, heads of parastatals or Principal Secretaries who tell their wives and children to form companies and thereafter, all the tenders and Government contracts are awarded to them. That means no one else will be able to conduct business with the Government except those relatives and friends. This law comes in to cure that malady. Conflict of interest is the primary cause of corruption and poor decision-making. Many wrong decisions are made because someone wants to favour a relative. They are conflicted and end up making wrong and injurious decisions that are burdensome to the community. In some cases, Government officials who own banks try to manipulate the interest rates at the Central Bank because they have access to the decision-making process and in turn make millions of shillings for their banks. The current interest rates were influenced and manipulated by people who were once in top Government positions. This law speaks to such issues where people want to make policies to favour themselves and their relatives. Many a time, Government officers are taken to court because of abuse of office. When you probe into such cases, you will realise a relative was involved. If we enact this law, we will have better decision-making by Government officials for the general good of the public and not just a few people. This Bill requires amendments and that is why…"
}