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"id": 244160,
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"speaker_name": "Dr. Oburu",
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"content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, this week, the Minister for Trade and Industry, Dr. Kituyi, made a personal statement in this House in regard to him being summoned by myself as the Chairman of the Finance, Planning and Trade Committee. I want to say that my Committee has never, and does not intend in future to summon anybody, leave alone a Minister or any hon. Member of this House, through the media. What happens is that we inform the public about what we are doing and can even say that a certain person is being expected to appear before the Committee. That is just for the information of the public but not intended to summon the Minister. We know that according to the National Assembly Powers and Privileges Act, Section 14(1): \"The assembly of any outstanding committee thereof, may, subject to provisions of sections 18 and 20, order any person to attend before it and to give evidence or to produce any paper, book, record or document in the possession or under the control of that person.\" We also know that Section 15(1) gives the Speaker and the Clerk, purely administrative role to do the summoning, and it states as follows: \"Any order to attend and give evidence or to produce documents before the assembly or committee shall be notified to the person required to attend or to produce the document by a summon under the hand of the Clerk, issued by the direction of the Speaker.\" My committee has strictly adhered to that provision and we have never gone out of it. Dr. Kituyi was summoned under the hand of the Clerk of the National Assembly, vide a letter dated 22nd June, 2006, inviting him to come and it reads as follows: \"The Departmental Committee on Finance, Planning and Trade is charged with the responsibility of investigating, inquiring into and reporting on all matters relating to public finance and national planning, trade, commerce and industry, tourism promotion, wildlife among others. During its meeting on Wednesday, 21st June, 1904 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 6, 2006 2006, the Committee resolved to meet with the Minister for Trade and Industry.\" The date proposed is Thursday, June 29th, 2006, at 10.00 a.m in committee room No.9 at Parliament buildings. The letter goes on to read: \"The Committee would like to be appraised on the circumstances leading to the collapse of Uchumi supermarkets chain and its proposed revival.\" The letter was signed by Mr. Ndindiri. Dr. Kituyi replied on the 27th June, 2006, in a letter addressed to Mr. Ndindiri, the Clerk of the National Assembly. The letter read: \"I have just received your letter dated 22nd June, 2006 about the meeting discussed this Thursday. Before this, I have been reading in the media statements about my being summoned by the Departmental Committee. This habit may work with some people's egos, but it is not right. Secondly, I am leading the Kenyan delegation to a World Trade Ministerial conference in Geneva. I depart tonight and return Thursday 4th July, 2006.\" If that is a summon through the Press, then I am not aware. My committee has never summoned anybody to appear before it through the media and we, as a committee, sat down after receiving the letter and said that we shall alow Dr. Kituyi to come to our Committee at the time of his convenience. Therefore, I want to clarify that the issue about me was not right. On the issue raised by Dr. Kituyi regarding the appraisal, the matter is before my committee and I am wondering whether it is right to make these updates, when we have information that is contrary to what the Minister is saying. We have information to the effect that the Kshs640 million---"
}