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{
    "id": 196540,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/196540/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 66,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Ethuro",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 158,
        "legal_name": "Ekwee David Ethuro",
        "slug": "ekwee-ethuro"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise to contribute to the debate on the Accountants Bill. When you look at the Memorandum of Objectives in this Bill, you will see that our main objective is to review and improve the regulations of the Accountancy profession. We wish to commend the Minister for Finance for bringing this Bill to the House so that we can look at the important legislation. My friend, Mr. Githae, has talked about the need for collective responsibility on the other side. I also want to tell him that the Grand Coalition Government has also brought new things to this House. One of them is for me to be seated, for the first time, on the left hand side of the Speaker in the House. I think that should also be acknowledged. I do not know if the accountants know to what extent it means to be an accountant. The accountancy profession in this country requires serious soul-searching. To some extent asking them to regulate themselves is like asking hyenas to decide whether to spare the sheep or not. This is one profession which, for the time being, requires a lot of external supervision so that they can get to know their job. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will give you a few examples. If there is a rotten department in Government, it is the district treasuries. The only time you witness a beehive of activities at the district headquarters at Lodwar is when the accountant is in town. You will see all heads of departments chasing their payment vouchers. As soon as the accountant is not there to sign them, the whole place becomes dead. Before the voucher is paid, the accountant demands a slice of the share. In most cases, the accountants want to be given part of the money, including part of the CDF. If there is a den of corruption in this country, then it is in this profession. It should be looked at thoroughly. That is why, yesterday, we were very apprehensive when the Minister was introducing this Bill in a haste and going through two stages in one Sitting contrary to the Standing Orders. I am glad that the Minister was made aware of that fact and has made a commitment - I want the Chair to ensure that it is done - that this Bill should not pass until the relevant Committees have scrutinised it. We cannot do justice when we are just commenting on the way we are doing. This is a real opportunity for them to come and tell a committee of the House what they think, and for other interested parties to make serious contributions. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the former Minister for Finance, Mr. David Mwiraria, sacked people who were supposed to be in supplies departments. In fact, he should also have done 502 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 16, 2008 away with internal auditors. I have had an occasion to sit in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). When you see the reports by the Government auditors, not any other auditor, you wonder what their role is. They are supposed to certify. There is what is called the \"examination department\". There is, I do not know what-and-what! But corruption is going on! Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, these people are supposed to detect the problems that are there even before you get an external auditor. We are saying there is also an improvement in accountability in the Government; that this Bill is supposed to advance further. But there are no specific provisions through which accountability within the Government is going to be realised. There are no specific provisions in this Bill to make sure that accountants can be held accountable personally for the mistakes they commit through what is called \"wizi wa kalamu\" . It is worse than cattle rustling. It is worse than banditry. It is worse than the Mungiki menace in town. That is what we have from accountants. Our learned friends here think that, because they have had an opportunity to regulate themselves, they can export that to all professions. Who does not know how many quacks and thieves exist even in the legal profession? There is stealing of our money!"
}