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{
    "id": 214933,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/214933/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 128,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Tarus",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister, Office of the President",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 315,
        "legal_name": "Stephen Kipkiyeny Tarus",
        "slug": "stephen-tarus"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to reply. (a) It is the desire of every nation to maintain a reasonable capacity of airworthiness in terms of numbers and quality in its Air Force for the defence of the nation. The airworthiness of fighter aircraft is not judged by the apparent age in years, but rather, by the life of the airplane. That is determined by the number of hours it is expected to clock. With regard to jet fighters, the Government intends to acquire--- They have an airframe time of 20 years. That is sufficient time to gradually phase out F-5 aircraft, as a new and more superior platform is brought in. Mr. Speaker, Sir, air power is maintained through a generation of platform of aircraft. July 10, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2353 Every country depending on the vibrancy of its economy and need can upgrade its capacity from a lower platform to a higher one. Technology is also changing fast. It is a practice world over to dispose of an earlier generation to another country. Kenya, for example, sold its Hunters and Strikemaster jets to Zimbabwe. Our earlier target to purchase similar F-5 jets from Saudi Arabia was thwarted by Brazil when they moved in and offered to buy the same at a higher price. As at now, Brazil has offered to buy our already target planes at a price six times higher than what we have negotiated. Mr. Speaker, Sir, given the above technical information, to say that Kenya intends to buy second-hand planes, is, therefore, technically not correct. (b) To ensure that the Ministry complies with the Public Procurement and Disposal Act, the following measures were taken:- (i) Treasury authority was sought and granted to undertake the procurement through Government-to-Government negotiations. (ii) A technical pre-negotiation committee, as guided by the Treasury, was established with representatives from Attorney-General's Chambers, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of State for Defence. (iii) As guided by the Treasury, through the Directorate of Public Procurement, the process ends with the Ministerial Tender Committee. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is my wish to say that the process, so far initiated, adheres to and complies with the Public Procurement and Disposal Act."
}