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{
    "id": 1524032,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1524032/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 268,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Joe Nyutu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for the opportunity. I also rise to support this Petition by Mr. Patrick Ochieng Odindo on corruption at West Kano Irrigation Scheme. I commend this gentleman because he had done research at the time and before he came to present this Petition to the Senate. He was able to identify the funds that have been pilfered or misappropriated by those that run this particular irrigation scheme. Mr. Ochieng Odindo talked about a revolving fund that the Government funded. At one point in time, disbursing about Kshs86 million that cannot be accounted for. There are also machines and accessories, in the form of aid by the Government of Kenya and the Government of the Republic of Japan. He was also able to talk about a rice sales fund and many other funds that the management of this particular irrigation scheme cannot account for. The EACC also stands accused in this particular Petition by Mr. Ochieng Odindo. When we look at this particular Petition, any Kenyan of goodwill who values this country must raise a voice and say no to corruption. Since there is no way all these funds are not accounted for and we cannot separate this and say that this is not corruption. It is corruption. We have to look at this Petition in a very broad way. This is because corruption is a cancer that continues eating up the sectors of Government, state corporations and many other areas. Poor Kenyans are not getting services. The committee tasked with this particular matter should unearth all corruption in this particular scheme. This will ensure that in future whoever is given a responsibility to oversee the appropriate use of public funds does exactly that. We have very many incidents of corruption. The most recent is the matter of the Social Health Authority (SHA). As we look at this Petition, we must also talk about the concerns expressed by the Auditor-General of the Republic of Kenya. There has been a lot of corruption. We are informed that the system at SHA is privately owned and not run by Government. It is run by individuals who take away 2.5 per cent of all the contributions that are made. These are things we should not allow in our country. Otherwise, Kenyans will continue suffering because of those people who are taking advantage of gaps in systems. They are using the same system to take away funds meant for public good for private use. As we look at this Petition, we must all ask ourselves, what are we going to do? The Auditor-General is very particular that hers ends at the point where she lays bare the facts and the misappropriation of public funds and the rest lies with Parliament. That is why we, as a House, must come up with ways and means of making sure that the rot that is exposed by the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) and other agencies like the Controller of Budget (CoB), actions are taken against anybody who does not do what is supposed to be done as the Public Finance Management Act. This Petition should open up our eyes. We must take very stern action against those that will be found to have taken advantage, misappropriated or embezzled the funds that were availed to the West Kano Irrigation Scheme. The other thing is the money that is sent to state corporations. The Government keeps bailing out state corporations that operate at a loss all the time. When we talk about 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."
}