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{
    "id": 1503247,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1503247/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 487,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kathiani, WDM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Robert Mbui",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "know how we are going to cure that. I agree with my colleagues who said punishment should be spelt out in this Bill. That punishment has to be severe so that we do not have a situation where someone lends out their name because they cannot raise money. You have seen international investors being indicted in the United States of America for corruption, and we were just about to award some of them major projects in the energy, transport, and health sectors. We have to be very careful with how we tackle such situations. Let us make sure there is no corruption within that system. Transparency and accountability processes in procurement must also be fast-tracked by the National Treasury. How is it possible that the same company can win tenders across Government? Some of these things are not a coincidence. It is obvious that somebody somewhere must have engaged in corruption. Some of the companies that get jobs all over face bribery charges. Bribery is the biggest form of corruption. We have to be very, very careful. I have been wondering why there are delays in paying contractors throughout the history of this country. It must come to an end. It is strange how projects procured under NG- CDF, which is a very meagre fund, never have pending bills. People are contracted all the time to build classrooms, police stations, chiefs’ camps, but there is never ever a situation where people are up in arms claiming they have not been paid yet they have worked. It is simply because the procurement is done in such a way that people are only given jobs when money is available. The problem of pending bills need to be cured. There are contractors who have not been paid by the national and county governments for tens of years. When the first Governor of Machakos County came into office, contractors built something called the People’s Park in Machakos. The person who fenced the park was never paid. Some people even committed suicide. Patrol cars were bought and somebody was contracted to install communication equipment in them. That person was never paid yet that was a Government project. Making sure there are no delays in payment is a critical thing that must be sorted out once and for all. The delay in payment is what makes the cost of Government business expensive. If you are going to invest your money in Government and it takes years for you to be paid, then the interest on the money should be factored into the cost. That is why, if you compare the cost of a personal project with what the Government would pay for the same project, the difference is like night and day, or heaven and hell. This is a step in the right direction and when the House approves this, it is going to help the country move forward. With those few remarks, I support."
}