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"id": 212670,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Syongo",
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"legal_name": "Zaddock Madiri Syong'oh",
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"content": "That is a fact. So, the initiative which the Ministry has taken to open up that part of Kenya for investment is most commendable, and I want to thank him. However, the Minister has a major problem. My view would be that until the new legal framework is in place, that is, creating the three authorities, no money should be transferred from the KRB for purposes of being used by the DRCs during this financial year. This is because that money is being misused by the technical teams of the DRCs. I would like to illustrate this matter. During the last financial year, Gwassi Constituency Development Committee used just Kshs4.5 million to hire machinery from the Ministry's MTF and it opened over 52 kilometres of road and it is first class. That same year, the KRB transferred to the DRC over Kshs11 million. There is no road, at all, to be seen as a result of that Kshs11 million. Subsequently, all that was done was that the District Roads Engineer, the District Roads Officer and the District Works Officer were transferred to do damage to their new districts of posting. So, I would have hoped that, that new legal framework was put in place before we pass this particular Vote, so that this money can, at least, be put in a safer, although new, institutional framework for it to be utilised properly. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to commend the Kenya Roads Board and the Ministry, headed by the Permanent Secretary. They are doing a first class job. This team is good! They are sensitive. They listen. However, unless they sort out the problem within the districts, there will continue to be a problem. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to give a second illustration. The Ministry, in its wisdom, set up the MTA(?) Fund and, recently, it was restructured. So, in Nyanza Province, for instance, we now have two regional offices, with one based in Kisii and another one in Kisumu. There is equipment comprising of graders, bulldozers, tippers, stone breakers, excavators, et cetera . However, the District Roads Engineer and the District Works Officer refused to use those facilities. Why? When they use them, they do so through third party contractors, who go to hire them. They double the rates. A D8 bulldozer costs me only Kshs5,400 per hour, a dry rate. I am glad that Engineer Kilimo is here. When those machines are hired out to third parties, the third parties charge us Kshs10,000 per hour. Why is the Ministry not forcing these people to use those machines, which have been purchased using public funds, to make it cheaper for us to open up and maintain our roads? I see no reason whatsoever as to why we should go to third party contractors who, simply, hire those machines and then rent them to us at double the standard rate. That beautiful dream is going to be defeated. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, another issue on which I would like to make an appeal to the 2714 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 24, 2007 Ministry is that of standardisation: setting standards and changing the whole idea of who controls the money. The Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) is in the hands of the same engineers, who are supposed to set the standards, oversee the procurement process, monitor, evaluate and approve payments. How can that work? It cannot work! When the Britons and the Canadians were teaching me accounts and financial management, they said: \"For purposes of proper internal control, there must be separation of responsibilities\". The man holding the key to the funds must not be the one who approves payment. Also, he must not be the one who monitors expenditure. Let us make a drastic amendment to the procedure. I said earlier on that the team that the Ministry has is very good, but I do not understand the criteria by which funds are allocated to the districts. I want to appreciate that this year, for the first time, the whole of Suba District was given Kshs12 million. Last year, it was given Kshs1 million. We do not know what that money was used for. I wanted to appeal to the Minister, since he is like an uncle to me. Hata angetoa pesa kidogo from Kisii Central---"
}