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"speaker_name": "Mr. G.G. Kariuki",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise also to say some few words on this Motion. First of all, I want to thank the Minister for Finance for his Speech. I believe he has the future of this country at heart. Most of the things he has proposed are very good for this country. However, what the Minister did not actually say in his Speech is how much money has been taken out of this country through corruption. In the last three years, we were told about this money by the former Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs. He said there was about Kshs600 billion stashed in foreign accounts. This money was taken away through corruption. Later on, we were told that about Kshs300 billion is out of this country and that the Government was making arrangements to recover it. We were also told that about Kshs70 billion had been located outside the country and that there were arrangements to recover it. I would like to know from the Government what amount we expect from outside the country. Why should the Government treat the people of this country like they do not have brains? The Government has been in power for the last three-and-a-half years and yet, it does not seem to know how much money is stashed in foreign accounts. No paper has ever been circulated to the people of this country by this Government saying how much money was stolen through corruption and that it is trying to bring it back with the support of either the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) or other institutions of international nature. We do not have information on it. We need this matter to be clarified in the next Budget. Kenyans should know whether they will ever recover this money. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, time has come for the Government to realise that with the freedom of the media and that of hon. Members, it will not be possible to hide anything from the public. I hope the Assistant Minister, who is here, has taken note of that. We need to know exactly how much money has been taken out of this country, and even the property. We have June 21, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1503 several ambassadors in foreign countries and they are capable of knowing who bought what in their respective countries like England, United States of America or Namibia and so on. But here we are just told \"wait and see\"; I do not know what to see. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other point that needs to be stressed here by all of us is that we must create institutions which will outlive the human being. We must outlive the leadership. This country is doing badly because there are some people who have become institutions by themselves. We have to make sure that the President of this country is not beyond the institution of authority. We have to maintain institutions which are going to be beyond the leadership of an individual. For example, look at the country today. We are almost getting there because the system is working. That is why no matter how much noise our politicians make, it does not affect our shilling; it does not go up or down. I think the people of this country are mature enough to separate between the two issues; politicking and real Government programmes. This is a credit to our people. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, another point that I would like to address is that the Government must now address the insecurity situation in Laikipia District. We have a problem there and the Government does not seem to understand or it is deliberately ignoring it. Only yesterday, an Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) officer was killed. Many people have lost their lives since 1998. Why? It is because law and order has broken down. It is only in Laikipia District that a group of people can come from another district and settle there at will. I think these double standards need to stop. I have presented information to this Government and nothing much has been done. Time has come for a permanent solution to be found. For us to resolve this matter once and for all, we should remove all illegal grazers who just come with their cattle and graze their animals without fear. I think this needs to be stopped immediately. Security roads need to be done. This is a vast area without adequate road network. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would also like to address the issue of distribution of resources in ASAL areas. I would also like to address the issue of discrimination in the allocation of resources in semi and arid areas. In Laikipia District, we are getting nothing, while Baringo and Samburu Districts are benefiting. I think that matter needs to be looked at and addressed properly. Finally, this point concerns hon. Members of Parliament. It is now time Members of Parliament presented themselves as honourable Members. The interaction of Members of Parliament and diplomats in this country is wanting for many reasons. The Ministers are invited to attend parties thrown by ambassadors. In those parties, we are ridiculed by the same ambassadors. I wonder why the Ministers and other hon. Members think it is so important to attend parties thrown by diplomats. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have to learn to maintain our dignity. If we want to hold a meeting or a workshop, the Government should finance it. We should not rely on foreign donations. These foreign donations have done us very badly. The content that Kenyans receive from these diplomats during these meetings is very bad indeed. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, you must know and I am sure you know that the rank of an ambassador is that of a Deputy Secretary in any government. Some ambassadors are very junior. When they invite Cabinet Ministers, it is like they have been invited by the Prime Minister of Great Britain! We take them so seriously as if we cannot do anything without them. The time has come for us to respect ourselves. You can see the amount of suffering that our people are experiencing when applying for visas; they suffer a lot! The issue of applying for visas has become a very big issue. One application for a visa costs Kshs13,000. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}