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{
    "id": 1472231,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1472231/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 353,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Osotsi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13588,
        "legal_name": "Osotsi Godfrey Otieno",
        "slug": "osotsi-godfrey-otieno"
    },
    "content": "As I said, the amendments are going to give us disclosure of ownership information. We should know who the owners of these entities are, how much they draw from the people of Kenya for their personal interests, and the cost at which they sell electricity to companies such as Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen). I think this Bill is timely. I encourage Members to support it particularly on the aspect of disclosure. Without disclosure, as it has been stated in the memorandum of the Bill, we are not sure what the money does. We do not know whether the money is used for money laundering, whether it is part of tax evasion schemes, or corruption. This will help us deal with all the social issues around non-disclosure of these agreements. I do not know why it is so difficult for the Government to provide information on some of these issues. We struggled with the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and up to now, we do not have clear information on some of the contracts of SGR. We have also struggled with these Independent Power Producers (IPPs). Currently, the biggest debate in this country is about Adani matter, which I can see the Chairman of the Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing is smiling. He has done a good job and he is also my Member of the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC) to try and deal with the problem. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it is high time that we demand that all such major agreements, particularly between the Government and private investors or individuals, must be disclosed to Parliament and processed in this House since they affect our people. We exist in this Parliament because we represent the people under Article 1 of the Constitution. The other important issue I want to agree with the Mover of this Bill, is the matter of ensuring that these agreements are aligned or comply to the principles of public finance management under Article 201 of the Constitution on matters of openness, accountability, public participation and good governance in prudent and responsible management of public resources, on matters of sustainability, whether the agreement is sustainable or not. We want a situation whereby such agreements, the value for money must be assessed. Therefore, the proposal to ensure that the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act is complied with is a laudable proposal in terms of ensuring, for example, public participation. Public participation aligns to what I have said earlier, the involvement of Parliament in this process. The involvement of stakeholders in the energy sector in this process is very key. Consequently, I thank the Mover for also including that. The other aspect is compliance with the best practices in procurement, particularly aligning this process to the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act (PPADA), that we already have. How do we identify these IPPs? Do we just wake up and say so-and-so will be an IPP and he becomes an IPP or there must be a competitive process? Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, these are the same questions we were asking on the Airport deal also. Do you just wake up and say so-and-so, bring a proposal or you open the tender to competition, so that you have as many people bringing proposals on how they can manage some of these utilities? This is a very commendable amendment which I support. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and Audio Services,Senate."
}