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{
    "id": 248018,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/248018/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 201,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Omingo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 180,
        "legal_name": "James Omingo Magara",
        "slug": "omingo-magara"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I stand to support this Motion on three major grounds. First, the Government is the single biggest consumer of goods and services in this nation. This has forced the Executive to borrow money for this purpose. As a result, this nation has perpetually been in debt to the tune of Kshs750 billion, which translates to about 70 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Since we have now passed The Public Procurement and Supplies Bill, which is now an Act, we require a body that is supposed to regulate it, the same way we have the Institute of Certified Public Accountants (ICPA), where professionalism must be instilled in the process of procurement. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, wastage is a major thing in this country. We have imaginary procurement, including the \"Anglo Fleecing\", which is a nightmare of this country and the nation at large. If professionalism is instilled through this Bill, it will save Kenyans billions of shillings which is going to wastage. I have always told people in this country and the Minister for Finance that we should not and we must never tailor our jackets to be bigger than our size, hoping that the big brother from the donor community would come and feed us in order to fit in those jackets. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, by introducing this Bill of professionalising procurement, we shall have benchmarks of controlling and eliminating the crooks and thugs who are being imported into this country to supply what is not available in this country. This country continuously pays dubious debts which have been procured through malicious procurement that actually goes into waste. If this was done, the savings as a result of doing this will ensure that we provide free medical cover. Statistics have shown that where professionalism has been instilled in public procurement, up to 30 per cent has been saved. These are savings that we can divert to our social services including provision of free medical care to all Kenyans and paying the teachers' salaries yesterday as we intended. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, our roads are in a pathetic state. We could do several roads with the savings that we will get from the wastage. Those who are fighting this Bill are the musketeers who have always wanted to ride on a smooth road of wastage and corruption without the risk of being caught. We would like to look at a situation where this country will go the e- procurement way so that we get value for our goods and professionally. Once you get an item, it will be for the purpose intended and we will get value for it. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to plead with the House and the Ministry concerned with this Motion to allow the hon. Member move it through and fast-track it whichever way they can. After all, we are here to complement each other in terms of achieving what we want to achieve. With those few remarks, I beg to support. 1174 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES May 7, 2006"
}