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{
    "id": 1570805,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1570805/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 373,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Central Imenti, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Moses Kirima",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " We are saying that the land has been illegally occupied by the squatters. When the Committee tried to visit the said piece of land, we could not access it but could only see it at a distance. The 12.6 acres have been heavily developed with storey buildings, some extending up to five storeys. They are big magnificent buildings which cannot be referred to as belonging to ordinary squatters. The same buildings have been associated with big names in this country, including big people in this House. The mention of the Kamae land at Kenyatta University raises the hairs of some leaders in this House. It is the recommendation of this Committee that the accounting officer of an institution or corporate body must be responsible for acts that take place within the institution. The Committee observed, as stated by the Chairman, that corruption thrives in Government corporations. This is in the sense that buildings, contracts and procurement procedures, including the extension of contracts, are undertaken without following the law. The accounting officers concerned have been fined by this Committee. However, the Committee has been rendered toothless because its recommendations have not been implemented by the Committee on Implementation of this House. This means taxpayers’ money is wasted for no reason, especially when it comes to spending colossal amounts of money such as Ksh600 million on buildings or items which cannot be seen. The Committee has recommended that accounting officers of these institutions must be held liable or compensate the Government as required by the law. Whoever is responsible for the loss of public money must pay the same to the Government so that other officers can learn from those who have been surcharged. There are cases where imprests have not been cleared or were given without the council's recommendation or minutes. These institutions are being run anyhow. There is a lot of incompetence. For instance, in Moi University, the incompetence of the Accounting Officer led to the collapse of what was once a magnificent, national and international institution. This is also the case with Kenyatta University. We found out that nepotism is the mother of incompetence, which has ended up being the source of collapse of our institutions. The accounting officers appointed to these institutions, including Kenyatta University, think that they are there to loot. They do not know that they are there to be accountable for all actions within their institutions. This Committee recommended that the person be surcharged for the losses incurred during his time, but those recommendations were not implemented. Those are the observations of the Committee. I call upon this House, especially the Committee on Implementation, to ensure that Kenyatta University recovers the land as per the court’s judgement. The moment the court passes a judgement, auctioneers are given a chance to implement it. However, they cannot implement it because of the goons, or watu ya mkono, as it is said, who are there to protect the big landlords who purport to be squatters yet they are not. How does a squatter manage to put up a five-storey building? How does he manage not only to live in that land but also build premises for hire? There are three-bedroom houses in a five-storey building. I call upon the Committee on Implementation to look at it and save our institutions from grabbers. This is outright grabbing of public property. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}