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"id": 176504,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/176504/?format=api",
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"speaker_name": "Mrs. Millie-Odhiambo",
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"speaker": {
"id": 376,
"legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. I wish to support this Bill which is not only timely, but necessary. Actually, I am personally shocked because even Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) operate in this manner and yet they are the smallest \"disorganized\" units. It is actually shocking that we have a whole Parliament which is unable to exercise oversight roles, which is one of its most important functions. I would like to add my voice in noting that this Bill will ensure that we curb grand corruption and do away with Anglo Leasing and Goldenberg type of cases. It actually gives us an opportunity to mainstream cross-cutting issues in the Budget. For instance, the role of ensuring that the Budget is gender sensitive has permanently been left to civil society organisations. Their voice, somehow, is never felt in the Budget. Now, for once, we will be able to say, for instance, that things that are of concern to women and may not be of concern to men will find their way into the Budget. For instance, for Members of Parliament to get a reduction in the price of sanitary towels, it had to take serious lobbying outside the Government. This gives us an opportunity to do away with running all over like mad people. We can sensibly fix it in the House and talk about issues that concern women, youth and children. I would like to urge the relevant Departmental Committee to amend this Bill so that in the same manner that we provide for a third representation when we are looking at the Budget to ensure that each Vote that is in the Printed Estimates must have a portion that is targeted to, especially vulnerable groups. I want to add my voice to the fact that this Bill will enhance affirmative action. I come from Suba District and in some of the islands there, for example, Mfangano Island - a very big island - there is no road. Here, I do not mean a tarmacked road. People walk through bushes from one home to the other. If you have a car, you cannot use it even if you get a ferry to the island. Some people, at one time, went to Mfangano Island and laughed at the hon. Member for Mbita, Mr. 3900 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 4, 2008 Kajwang, that people were seeing a car for the first time in the island. They wondered what the Member of Parliament had been doing for his people if they had not even seen a car. It is not the role of the Minister to give people roads. It is a corporate role of the Government to provide roads. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, poor people walk for many kilometres in order to reach the district hospital or a provincial hospital. But for the 16 islands in Suba District, if you are really sick and poor, you cannot swim even if you wanted to. The crocodiles will get you, or you will get tired, or you will drown. So, necessary resources that do not reach the communities that need them will then be accessed because the Government will ensure that marginalised areas get the resources they need. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support this Bill because it gives us the opportunity to actualise the National Cohesion and Integration Bill that states that resources in this country must be given equitably. It is no longer a choice. It is mandatory that we do it. If we do not do it within the framework of the National Cohesion and Integration Bill, this Bill has given us the authority to do it. I would like to take note of Section VI that will ensure that there is prudent fiscal management. It will ensure that public debt is sustainable managed. However, I want to encourage the relevant Departmental Committee to amend it and include the provision that public debt is not only sustainable managed, but also prudently incurred. That has not been mentioned. It is presumed. Whenever we talk of prudence, it is presumed that debt will be incurred prudently. There are some debts that we incur that are not necessary or helpful to this country. I also note that Section 6 guarantees the principles of accountability and transparency. It also ensures prioritization that ensures reduction of waste and enhances equity. But again, I want to encourage the Committee that is looking into this to come up with amendments that will ensure that we develop rules or regulations that will enable us to come up with our priorities. That is because if we leave it to somebody's goodwill, it will take us another 20 years given that this Bill has taken too long to come. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also want to laud the Section that indicates that deviations from fiscal management policies attract sanctions. That is because, as you know, we have a very bad culture of impunity. It is not only in relation to violence, but we also ignore what the law provides. I am happy that this Bill actually provides that any deviation from the fiscal management policies will attract sanctions against the relevant officers. I also want to note that the Budget policy statement that is indicated is necessary. As I had indicated when I was giving my introductory remarks, even in small community based organizations, that is done. I am a lawyer and I am heading a civil society organization. I was called to undertake finance management for non-financial managers because there is no way that you can ensure accountability if you do not have something similar to that policy statement. It is not only necessary, but it is long overdue. It is the current practice worldwide from small groupings to large groupings. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I was actually shocked when I came to this House and we were looking at the Budget. Most of the Ministries were giving us Votes that indicated Development and Recurrent Expenditure. But when you look at them, they were Recurrent Expenditures. It would be a sad day if, by passing this Bill, we further the practice that has been obtaining where we come here to look at how much was paid for tea and sweets. I think Parliament is an important place for us to waste time looking at how much money was spent in tea, milk and sugar. We want to know how much money was spent in development and how equitably it was done. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would also like to laud Section 14 that gives us a framework for monitoring and evaluation. It is not just enough that the Budget goes through and we do not care whether what we have provided is actually done. So, the three months monitoring December 04, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3901 and evaluation framework that is given is laudable. However, I want to encourage, again going by current practice, that we institutionalise the listening of voices of the civil society organisations in the Budgeting processing. They have been involved, but we have not institutionalised it. But going by international practice and even by the practice of this House, let us do it within the law. Finally, I want to note Section 16 that indicates that material failure to implement previous audits will lead to sanctions. I want to encourage that, as the practice elsewhere, it should not just be as indicated now, but the penalties should be more severe, including criminals penalties. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}