HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 190487,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/190487/?format=api",
"text_counter": 203,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Raila",
"speaker_title": "The Prime Minister",
"speaker": {
"id": 195,
"legal_name": "Raila Amolo Odinga",
"slug": "raila-odinga"
},
"content": " Of course, he is still alive. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the question asked by Mr. Jirongo is the same. He said that so-and-so also knew about the transaction because he was consulted, et cetera . As I said, I was consulted. I would like him to examine the documents and the evidence I have tabled. If, in his view, they warrant my resignation, I will do so. Mr. Okemo has said that Parliament is seized of this matter. Mr. Imanyara said the same. The Speaker has actually made a substantive ruling on the matter, which is that the Departmental Committee on Finance, Planning and Trade proceeds and investigates the matter expeditiously. Mr. Speaker, Sir, just like Parliament cannot be held hostage by the Executive, the Executive also has a responsibility to the people of this country to carry out investigations. I suppose when it comes to matters of investigations, the Executive has the better machinery to carry out investigations. This House has carried out several investigations. We have set up several select Committees to carry out investigations on several matters. For instance, there were the late J.M. Kariuki and the late Dr. Robert Ouko select Committees. Even the Goldenberg Scandal has been investigated several times by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Public Investments Committee (PIC). There are several PAC and PIC Reports tabled before this House, debated and adopted, which are just gathering dust in shelves. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have, therefore, reached a stage where Parliament and the Executive should work in tandem. That is when we can become effective. The past practice has been that a Report is brought before this House, debated and passed, and that is the end of it! However, we have now shown, within the very short period of time, that we will handle this matter. We have shown that we are a different Executive. On the same day Parliament passed a resolution here, I received a report from a Committee I had set up only 24 hours earlier, with a similar recommendation that Mr. Kimunya step aside. There should be no suspicions! 1684 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 8, 2008 Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Executive has failed to act. That is why Parliament has become the watchdog of the people, to hold the Government of the day on check. But Parliament should not try to do the work of the Executive, neither should the Executive try to interfere with the work of Parliament. If you agree and appreciate it that way, then we will have a Government of the people, by the people and for the people! Mr. Speaker, Sir, hon. Mbau wanted to know why I did not share the information and why I did not convene the Cabinet. If he examines the documents that I have laid on the Table here, he will understand why. I have said that I was contacted by the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) on 23th--- On 25th, if you go and look at the newspaper headlines, there were statements saying that the hotel had not been sold and that it will be sold by public auction. When I saw that, I said: \"But, what about the information that I have?\" The story I have is that the deal has been concluded and the proceeds have been paid! So, I acted on the very same day. I wrote a letter to the Director of Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) seeking the information that I have given to the House. That letter was not responded to until I eventually made an approach, again, personally. That is why it took such a long time. I wrote on 25th April and I received the reply on 12th June, by which time a Parliamentary Committee was already on the case. That is the reason why I withheld action. But then, again, there were so many contradicting statements. I convened the Cabinet Committee on Finance, Administration and Planning and set up a Sub-Committee to examine the documents that I had been given. That Sub-Committee made the recommendations which somebody leaked to the media. So, Mr. Speaker, Sir, we did act. The role of the Prime Minister, as spelt out in the Constitution, is to co-ordinate and supervise the functions of the Government, including those of Ministries. We are doing that very effectively with a very skeleton staff. I wish to inform hon. Members here that through some assistance, we have managed to use some experts to come up with a structure of the Office of the Prime Minister and to create capacity in that office, so that it can be able to effectively discharge its responsibilities. We are soon going to be recruiting staff to that office. But, be that as it may, we have several other departments which have been transferred to the Office of the Prime Minister, including the Inspectorate of State Corporations, the Efficiency Monitoring Unit, the Directorate of Personnel Management and so on. So, we are having some staff to begin with. Basically, Mr. Speaker, Sir, I conclude by, once again, giving an undertaking to hon. Members that we are going to carry out a very effective and extensive investigation of this matter, so that we can bring it to a speedy conclusion. Once we have finished that investigation, we shall bring a report to this House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."
}