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{
    "id": 1418269,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1418269/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 327,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Pokot South, KUP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. David Pkosing",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Two, allow me Hon. Temporary Speaker, to look at East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC), which is a Government entity that manufactures cement. It has been in real problems. If you read our Report, the Auditor-General told us that this is an institution in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) because it is insolvent and cannot run by itself. If you look at the investments they have, their total worth against liabilities, that institution can or has collapsed, but they are fighting. We did a lot of interaction and examination when that question came before my Committee. We brought the ministries concerned with industrialisation and shareholders, including Lafarge. Lafarge is the biggest cement manufacturer in the world. They also own shares in the East African Portland Cement Company. We brought in the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), the National Treasury and everybody. We did interrogations. You can see all that in our Report. In the interest of time, we came up with some resolutions and recommendations that we request the House to agree with. One of the recommendations is a stop-gap measure. They have a lot of land. The Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry is also in charge of the East African Portland Cement Company. Our thinking is that we should have a Government agency that makes cement so that the Government can set the prices. We will be doomed if we allow the prices and everything else to be set by the private sector, especially at this time when we have economic strains. We should always have a Government agency that keeps on maintaining prices. You remember you and I were in the last Parliament when I was defending Kenya Airways and Kenya Railways. I was saying that the Government must have transport so that it can keep some level of pricing. I am very proud of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). Everybody who wants to go to Mombasa prefers the SGR, not with matatus and buses. That was a fundamental item, regardless of how it was procured. The Government must maintain enterprises so that it can control prices. I am talking about this so that even the Government can listen to this East African Portland Cement Company. Things will get out of proportion if we allow private entities to be driving all those sectors. For those enterprises to survive, we recommend that they sell part of the land. That is so that they remain liquid and be able to pay the staff. The Government can also consider privatising it. When doing so, we should caution that the Government should not privatise 100 per cent of some of those entities that we aim to privatise. Our colleagues are listening from the other side. As a Committee, we are saying that we cannot privatise our institutions 100 per cent. What if those people become rogue? What happens in future? The Government must have a hand so that, if they become rogue, they can be chased or we apply the policy of three things alias mambo matatu . We are a country of independent people. Finally, so that I allow my colleagues to contribute, is about this institution called the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). It also came to us. The Auditor-General raised something very interesting about the CEO - the recruitment of the Managing Director at that time. The paperwork was not properly set. We were given a chance to look at that. We almost did another interview. We had an option to send the person home, because of paperwork. We brought even the people who interviewed him. We looked at whether the person was qualified. I will tell you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, that Mr. Kiptoo Bargoria is very qualified. In fact, he really helped our country during a very turbulent time in the oil sector. To be honest, he is very competent. We say in our recommendations that we did not find sufficient reason to send him home just because of a paper. It was not his problem, but that of the board. We brought in the Chairperson who is a very prominent and reasonable person in this country. Somebody decided to be cheeky. Maybe, that person plucked out a paper. Kiptoo convinced us that he is a competent Kenyan who can be allowed to complete his term. 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"
}