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"id": 1523995,
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"speaker_name": "Sen. Cherarkey",
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"legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. It is an honour to second this Motion. Yesterday, we debated a Motion on the issue of maize. Today, we are debating West Kano and the role of EACC in this matter. I want to agree largely with the report. Our farmers sacrifice a lot. They sometimes come together through cooperative movements. Sometimes, they save money. Unfortunately, a few individuals, especially our directors, take advantage of the funds meant to bring cooperative movements. I know you are a member of a cooperative in Mount Kenya, which I will use for debate purposes. I do not want it to be misinterpreted. Most coffee cooperative movements have died because of corruption and bad governance within them. Directors are working scot-free, yet corporate governance provides the processes for handling directors who misuse funds and abuse office yet they have to be arrested. This is similar to what happened in West Kano, Kisumu. Therefore, the sad thing in this country is that money is misappropriated. Still, the agencies that are supposed to investigate and prosecute have become part and parcel of the money heist and propagate the criminality of public plundering of resources and cover-up. The story we had in this report looks like a classical cover-up by the EACC. Instead of investigating, they became complacent in the whole matter. Yet farmers were losing their money. This West Kano project is critical because we are talking about food security in this country. We need to ensure that there is enough maize, rice, and wheat in the country. Therefore, I am happy that the Committee has made serious recommendations without fear or favour of contradiction. If the recommendations are fully implemented, they will be a reprieve to the farmers of West Kano. This is a huge scheme run by farmers involving millions of shillings. I agree that since EACC did not carry out a proper investigation, the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) should prosecute the perpetrators. I want to call out EACC. Some of us have complained about the financial misappropriation in our counties. However, EACC calls the media in a Razzmatazz, perambulating with cameras, conducting office raids, and taking the governors or senior county officials to write statements. However, many months down the line, they have yet to make one arrest or even charge one person in a court of law. The EACC, instead of being a catalyst or prosecution of corruption in this country, they are no longer doing its job. They are becoming an antidote to the corruption in this country. For example, in Nandi County, there was a payroll scandal. Close relatives of the governor with close sanguinity were found in the payroll fraud. One morning, the EACC appeared like angels and decided to do a razzmatazz. In the full glare of media cameras, they ransacked the county offices, but six months later, they had never The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}