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{
    "id": 252748,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/252748/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 199,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Billow",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 260,
        "legal_name": "Billow Adan Kerrow",
        "slug": "billow-kerrow"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. Development is our priority and, therefore, it becomes very difficult when you find that every year, money which we vote for 616 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 20, 2006 Development Expenditure, when it reaches April, Supplementary Estimates are required to divert some of the money back into Recurrent Expenditure. So, in these Supplementary Estimates given to us, we are being asked to divert or transfer Kshs7.6 billion from the Development Expenditure into the Recurrent Expenditure.. That money is coming out of very important Ministries. It is coming out from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and the Ministries of Roads and Public Works. These are all very critical Ministries in terms of infrastructural development in the country. So, in Recurrent Expenditure, we are seeing a lot of wastage and extravagance. When this Government wakes up one morning and announces the creation of five to six new Ministries and 27 new districts, do they ever sit down to imagine where that money is going to come from? This is because we cannot live beyond our means. We cannot do things merely for political expediency, which is what is happening in this country today and particularly with this Government. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is very difficult for us to imagine that this Government spent billions of shillings to purchase vehicles alone in the last two years according to reports published by the Kenya National Human Rights Commission (KNHRC). The other day I saw a letter, and I will table it here, which is written by the Public Communications Secretary, a Dr. Alfred Mutua, and copied to all the Ministries and all Permanent Secretaries in the Government, and telling them that as part of a new policy, to undertake the following: To create a Vote in each Ministry for the communications unit. In other words, Public Communications office to be duplicated in 34 Ministries in the country. He says that they need to do the following: Purchase at least four computers, videos and still cameras, televisions, video cassette recorders and radios, create office space for at least six officers, purchase a car and provide a driver. When I calculated how much that will cost within the Government, the purchase of equipment and facilities alone will cost Kshs200 million. To maintain the salaries of the six officers and the drivers and fuelling of those vehicles and other operational expenditures will cost this Government another Kshs100 million annually. Why? Because this Government wants to create a propaganda machine. This is being done so that the image of the Government is made attractive to Kenyans and the international community. If the Government wants to improve its image, it must invest in governance. Donors did not suspend aid because they did not like our faces or the way we talk. Donors suspended aid because we are misusing money; we are unable to account for our resources and we are stealing---"
}