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"id": 244814,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/244814/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Obwocha",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Planning and National Development",
"speaker": {
"id": 356,
"legal_name": "Henry Onyancha Obwocha",
"slug": "henry-obwocha"
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"content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, no country can have quality statistics unless it has a well functional national statistical system which includes producers and users of statistics and a robust national statistics office. Therefore, in 2002, the Central Bureau of Statistics embarked on the preparation of a five-year strategic plan for the national statistical system, covering the years 2003/2004 to 2007/2008. The plan aims at reversing the decline in the production of national statistics witnessed in the 1980s and 1990s, and has set out a strategic direction for the provision of timely official statistics and a framework for enhancing resources. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the strategic plan which, was approved by the Government in 2003, recommended the revision of the Statistics Act, Cap.112, as part of the reform agenda for the 1856 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 5, 2005 Central Bureau of Statistics. The main purpose for seeking the enactment of this legislation is that the current national statistical system is not well defined and lacks a strategic direction. Therefore, currently, the Bureau is using the Statistics Act, Cap.112, which was enacted in 1961. This Act is outdated and needs to be revised. It was last revised in 1972. It can no longer adequately support the production and management of statistical information given the changes in the economy, particularly in the last 30 years. As a Department of the Ministry of Planning and National Development, it lacks the autonomy and flexibility it needs to operate as a highly technical institution. So, we want to move it as an agency. To that extent, the Act has constrained the Bureau, particularly with regard to its role in co- ordination of the country's national statistical system. The Ministerial Nationalisation Report of the then Ministry of Finance and Planning in 1999 and other studies conducted on the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) recommended that the Department be restructured and transformed into a semi- autonomous Government agency. That way, the CBS would be able to respond effectively to its mandate of providing timely, reliable and affordable statistics for informed decision-making. In addition, the CBS would co-ordinate, supervise and provide strategic direction to the National Statistical System in the light of the rapidly increasing demand in data. The Bill, therefore, proposes to confer professional independence to the current CBS to enable it to: (1) Attain the needed operational flexibility. (2) Hasten its decision-making process. (3) Establish partnership and collaboration with other organisations. (4) Negotiate for funding from the Exchequer and donors. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the highlight of this Bill is that the Revised Statistics Act as proposed in the Bill is to provide for establishment of the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. This will be a body corporate and a principal agent for collecting, analysing, publishing and disseminating statistical information in Kenya. The new Bureau will also be expected to co- ordinate, supervise and provide a strategic direction to the National Statistical System. Its specific functions will include the following:- 1. Planning, authorising, co-ordination and supervising all official statistics and programmes undertaken within the National Statistical System. 2. Establishing standards and promoting the use of best practices and methods in the production and dissemination of statistical information across the National Statistical System. 3. Collecting and compiling, analysing, abstracting and disseminating statistical information on matters specified in the First Schedule. 4. Conducting the population and house census every ten years and such other census and surveys as the Board may determine. As you know, we have had our population and house census conducted since Independence after every ten years, 1989, 1999 and the next one will be done in 2009. 5. Maintaining a comprehensive and reliable national socio-economic database. The Bill also includes clauses which allow for establishment of the Bureau, its objectives and functions, establishment of the Board of Directors, its functions and composition. The Board shall consist of a Chairman appointed by the President and five other members appointed by the Minister responsible for statistics. The Bill further provides for establishment of the Director-General's position who will be the Chief Executive of the Bureau and the Secretary of the Board. The Bill also contains clauses on areas from which the Bureau shall collect statistical information. This has been expanded to include such areas as information, communication and technology, informal sector and environment. It provides for dissemination of information to the public and provision of special July 5, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1857 information or report to the users. The Bureau shall continue to be funded by the Government, taking note that the official statistics is a public good, through budgetary allocation by Parliament for the purposes of this Act. The funds will also be provided by development partners in form of grants and loans. Funds made available to the Bureau for the purpose of carrying out its functions shall be audited and reported upon in accordance with the Public Audit Act. The Bill was first published on 12th August, 2005. However, the Bill could not be brought here and we re-published it in March, 2006. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, what I am saying, therefore, is that basically our system has been in place but we want to make it more autonomous and turn it into a parastatal. This is one of the shortest Bills and I expect that since we do not have qualms with the manner in which we collect our statistics, this House will pass it in one day. With those remarks, I beg to move and request hon. Wetangula to second."
}