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"speaker_name": "Mr. Kimunya",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Finance",
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"legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
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"content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Bill in principle. I also would like to thank Dr. Ojiambo for her patience and endurance as she worked on this Bill with all the officials from the Treasury, the private sector, various stakeholders and through workshops. We discussed this Bill and we are in support for various reasons. First, the Treasury has been working on the issue of regulation of the procurement and supplies management as part of the wider amendments that are coming through within the framework of reforms for better public financial management. We also support this Bill because we believe that professionalising this function is called for under Section 26 of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act. We are also aware that professionalism is the backbone of a 3984 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES November 28, 2006 properly run procurement system, including ours. Hon. Members may recall that in 2003 or early 2004, the Government suspended all the procurement officers as part of cleaning up the procurement system because we believe that unless we have a good and functioning procurement system, which includes the people, then our public funds could well go to the wrong places. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we believe that procurement is a key ingredient in the public financial management. This Government has demonstrated its resolve in cleaning up the procurement system. We have realised major savings in procurement. Never mind the scandals that we inherited, which we have put a stop to. We even managed to get back money that was going out. We managed to bring it back because we believe that all public money should be safely within the public coffers. We also believe that none of that money should disappear for unlawful purposes that are not approved by this House. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, because of our resolve and the professionalism that we are having within the management of public affairs, we have seen our parastatals making profits. I am sure the Chairman of the Public Investments Committee (PIC) will have better stories to tell when he looks at the reports of this Government. Unfortunately, we are still looking at the reports that were done based on the other Government. However, on the current Government, we believe there are best practices and best stories to be told. Much as there are challenges, there are still issues to be resolved. However, we believe that Kenyan taxpayers' money is now going the extra mile. People are getting value for money. On that basis, people are having faith in the Government, they are paying taxes and money is going right to the communities. We are empowering everyone. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is important that we professionalise the procurement system as we expand the base of procurement from the people to the local areas. I would like to see this extend to the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF). We are seeing cases of hon. Members getting in trouble because of basic things to do with procurement. If we have all these professionals, then we will be in a position to help hon. Members of Parliament so that we do not find that cheques have disappeared or materials have supposedly been procured by the wananchi and they end up saying they do not know what happened. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other reason we support this Bill is, generally we support a professionally run Government. Professionalism is the hallmark of this Government. This is demonstrated in the way the Government is managed by the Chief Executive from a board room approach rather than from the popularity stands in stadia. Our focus is on where the country is going. That bigger picture of supporting professionalism leaves us to support any initiative that will lead to professionalising the small bits and pieces. The sum total of that will be a professionally run public service and country in the long term. I really want to thank Dr. Ojiambo for this, especially in terms of hastening the process. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Bill also calls for the Public Procurement Oversight Authority (PPOA) to develop, promote and support professional development of the procurement professionals. We are already in the process of making the regulations that will facilitate the development of the professionals. We accept that this Bill is only part of defining these professionals, but within that wider mandate of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act. We will then see what needs to be harmonised and developed through the Act. Clause 26 defines what a procurement professional is, and again, it is something that is taken note of, but we need to make sure that it is harmonised so that we do not just concentrate on the supply side ignoring the procurement side, and that whatever we come up with is good for the private as well as public sector. In Section 10 of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act, as you are aware, aims to facilitate the establishment of an examination body and support the professional association. Again, this is already provided for and it is a step in the right direction. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, taking all these into consideration, we are just November 28, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3985 concerned as much as the Departmental Committee on Finance, Planning and Trade is, to ensure that this Bill, good as it is, recognises the requirements of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act as contained in Sections 9, 26 and 10 and captures them so that we synchronise the Act and this Bill to ensure that we are moving in the same direction. I also believe that we need to synchronise and harmonise the expectations of both the public as well as the private sector players. This is because much as the Bill is driven by the need for harmony for sorting out the public sector procurement, the professionals who work in both sectors should benefit. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other issue that we want to ensure is that the institutional framework for professionalisation that is created by this Bill is modern, and more importantly, that it provides for checks and balances between the various functions as proposed in the Bill. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, looking at the umbrella professional body itself, for example, like the Law Society of Kenya, the accountants body and so on, there is the association of the members themselves who are qualified. That creates a group of people that we need to define and state what they can do and what they cannot do."
}