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{
    "id": 185984,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/185984/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 191,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mrs. Ngilu",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Water and Irrigation",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 111,
        "legal_name": "Charity Kaluki Ngilu",
        "slug": "charity-ngilu"
    },
    "content": "(ii) Serious weaknesses and omissions in corporate governance that have manisfested themselves in the Board for a period of close to five years. There were persistent problems, wrangles and feuds between members of the Board and the management. (iii) Inability to prepare and present a performance contract for the year 2008/2009. (iv) Uncontrolled expenditure on Board allowances that exhausted the Budget six months before the end of the Financial Year, rendering it unoperrational. (v) Persistent interference of the management by the Board as evidenced by high turn-over of the Chief Executive Officers. We have had five Chief Executive Officers in five years. That is a Chief Executive Officer every year. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the membership of the Board was changed in accordance to the powers confered to the Minister under Section 46 of the Water Act, 2002. With regard to the staff 2360 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE August 6, 2008 changes, I want to clarify that no staff member was sacked as alleged by the hon. Member. The staff changes, which I instructed, was a temporary measure to facilitate comprehensive trasparent and competitive recruitment of Chief Executive Officers. This was done in consultation with the Board members, as provided for in Section 54 of the Water Act, 2002. I have given instructions that the process of recruitment must be completed within the next two months. I have to see to it that these institutions are run properly and deliver on their mandate. For instance, in the National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation, a crisis was already unfolding with many cases of unaccounted for expenditure and high level of indebtedness with a pending bill of over Kshs800 million as at 30th June, 2008. In fact, I have instituted an audit to be undertaken immediately in this regard. Another example is the National Irrigattion Board. I want to inform the hon. Members that irrigation is one sub-sector that will liberate Kenyans from the cycle of famine and food imports. Therefore, my Ministry will be on the spot in this regard. However, with the current efforts and strategies that I found in the National Irrigation Board, I am not convinced that results can be achieved without having to effect some changes. We need to focus on new strategies and thinking. The Ministry plans to increase the acreage under irrigation from the current 114,000 hectares to 600,000 hectares. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the hon. Members will agree with me that with the current increase of 250,000 hectares per year, it will take close to 200 years to achieve these goals. Evidence of poor performance can be witnessed in Ahero Irrigation Scheme, which is not functional today. The relevant Departmental Committee visited the Ahero project. In other irrigation schemes like Mwea and Bura, farmers are not benefiting despite the large investments by the Government. I do not think this is what Kenyans are expecting from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the hon. Member also wanted to know the expertise of the staff that we have put in place. I want to share the follwoing information with the hon. Members. First, Eng. Robert Nduati Gakubia, was posted to act as the Chief Executive Officer of the Water Services Regulatory Board. He has 25 years of experiance. He holds a Masters Degree in Water and Sanitation Engineering. He is a registered professional Civil Engineer. Eng. Daniel Barasa was posted to act as General Manager, National Irrigation Board. He has 25 years of experience. He has a Masters Degree in water engineering and he is a registered professional civil engineer. Mr. Peter Olum was posted as acting Chief Executive Officer, Water Resources Management Authority. He has 30 years experience and a Masters Degree in irrigation. Eng. Meshack Mokua Saboke was posted to act as Managing Director, National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation. He has 21 years experience and a Masters Degree in water and sanitation engineering. He is a registered professional civil engineer. Eng. Robinson Gaita was posted to act as Director of irrigation and drainage at the Ministry headquarters---"
}