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"id": 1461189,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1461189/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Mungatana MGH",
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"speaker": null,
"content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, however, if it is there, let me hear what I am supposed to tell our people and what are the preventive measures I am supposed to do. We want a culture of top public servants who speak on technical issues to be established, so that when you come to speak, you speak so that we can believe you. Do not hide behind cabinet secretaries and principal secretaries. Come out and speak on issues. On this score, I must say that I am disappointed that the person who is acting now has not come to speak on this crucial issue. During the flooding in Tana River County and other counties that were affected by flooding, that was the time we needed to see the Director General for Health, even though he was in acting capacity. He should have come out to talk to people, telling us about the risk we had of certain diseases. Let Kenyans look at him as the doctor he is. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it should not be principal secretaries or cabinet secretaries speaking on policy and yet, they never trained in that area. When there is an outbreak of dengue fever or malaria, let us see Dr. Amoth taking a microphone and speaking to us. We want to see that because that is his responsibility. Kenyans want an authority. One of the duties Dr. Amoth has is the internship programme, which is fully under the Director General for Health. We have heard complains about how students are posted or paid and other things. He should tell us what to do with our children who have qualified because they are supposed to do that internship for them to be licensed to practice. I am trying to say that it is not enough for Dr. Amoth to have all these nice qualifications, but we thank him for them. It is also not enough that he has all that experience, but we are grateful for it. However, as we confirm him for this position, the people of Tana River do not know him because he never comes out to talk about anything. He should just get out and stop this doctor thing of, ‘I am a scientist and my work will speak for myself.’ Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, he should be like (Dr.) Khalwale and make noise until everyone listens and hears what he is saying. We need public servants to speak on technical issues. I will belabour this point again, that we need public servants to speak on technical issues so that everybody does his work. As a Senator, I am supposed to do my work here in this House and out there and you are supposed to do your work where you are. It is wrong for us to pay these people, give them positions, but they do not do what they are supposed to do. I am not in that Committee on Health, but it is not enough to just say that, I did not do this or that. Someone needs to say what he is doing, so that we, as Kenyans can have full confidence in him as the new person taking that position. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, one of the Senators who spoke here said that Dr. Amoth does not belong to any political party and he will give fair opportunity or service to every Kenyan. That is the wrong way to approach these matters. When you are asked to take up public positions, we are not asking you to forfeit your Christian, Muslim or heathen beliefs. We are also not asking you to stop saying that you belong to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) or any other political party. Your belonging or not belonging is not the issue. The issue is, are you capable of doing the work that is before you? We need to accept that people can have different opinions, but when it comes to work, people must be able to execute the duties, which we have selected or elected them to do. I want to speak about the huge controversy on the The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and Audio Services, Senate."
}