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"id": 209910,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/209910/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kenneth",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Finance",
"speaker": {
"id": 167,
"legal_name": "Peter Kenneth",
"slug": "peter-kenneth"
},
"content": " Thank you very much, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. First of all, I would like to explain that this very House passed the Privatisation Bill. Many issues that I have heard this morning arose when we discussed that Bill. It is very important that this House scrutinises the assets of Kenyans. That was the spirit in which, when Prof. Anyang'-Nyong'o brought the Motion on Privatisation, the House endeavoured to pass. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on issues that have gone to Initial Public Offer (IPO), there has been fair distribution to Kenyans or whoever wants to buy shares in state corporations. I am saying that because I do not think we are talking any different from those who have communicated in front of this House, for what we perceive to want. I also know it is the spirit of any Bill in this House, that it should never be cast on stone. Where and when need arises, if an hon. Member feels that he or she would like to move an amendment that would make the Act as it is today better than it has been, that leave is granted by the House. I would like to assure the hon. Member that for me, the business of Government should be in regulation and collection of taxes. The business of Government should not be to do business. I said those same words when I supported the Privatisation Bill. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the privatisation, from ownership or from Government, to whoever comes in as the new owner, is what is of interest to this House. Therefore, it is important that we look for a transparent manner, which we catered for in the Privatisation Act. We want things that are owned by Kenyans to end up being owned by Kenyans. The Government only acts as a trustee of the Kenyan people. It is, therefore, important that when there is such privatisation, Kenyans, first and foremost, are satisfied with the process. Although that process has been placed in the Act, from what Dr. Awiti is trying - and with a lot of respect because he worked in the Ministry of Planning and National Development and he is also an economist - is to look for a further stage or scrutiny by this House such that, when there is privatisation, there are merits and demerits. Probably, that process is subject to scrutiny by a Committee of this House or by the whole House. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the only thing that I would like to tell hon. Members, August 8, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3043 and which would be of importance is, and, probably, the Mover of the Motion knows it very well, that from the time the privatisation process began, what the Government tried was to dispose of parastatals that kept on going back to the Exchequer for financial support. What is left are very few parastatals. The Mover should know that some of the parastatals that we are talking about now are actually less than 40, other than research-based parastatals which are of interest to every Kenyan, and may not be up for privatisation. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Mover should also understand that, in this particular amendment, perhaps, when it comes to issues that are going to the IPO, and which do not need a strategic partner, it might not be very feasible with these amendments because, once the Privatisation Act has been followed, and it is being floated for Kenyans to buy directly, then that scrutiny might not be necessary. At that point, the trustee is simply offering the people for whom he has been holding those particular assets. That is something that the Mover will look at. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I conclude, I would like to say that anything that is going to be of benefit to the Kenyan people; anything that is going to bring further scrutiny to avoid any doubt on privatisation of assets that belong to Kenyans, will always be supported by the Treasury. Therefore, I want to tell Dr. Awiti that he is free to bring his amendment and we can debate it on the Floor of the House."
}