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"id": 298110,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Mungatana",
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"legal_name": "Danson Buya Mungatana",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to also contribute to this Appropriation Bill, 2012. I want to specifically look at three particular Votes and we would appreciate explanations from the Minister. If you look at Vote R114, this is a Recurrent Expenditure Vote that is supposed to go to the Ministry of Transport; the Minister has sought approval of roughly Kshs1.5 billion. There have been a lot of problems with the ferry services at the Coast. We want to know from the Minister what plans he has put in place so that when this money goes down, it will be utilized for the purpose, amongst others, of proper functioning of the ferries. It is unfortunate that year in, year out, we keep voting money but there is little change. We have been told many times that new ferries are being purchased, services are going to improve but this continues to be a problem. We want to know and get an assurance from the Minister that this money this time round will be utilized for the purpose that we are voting it for. On Vote R112, the Minster is seeking Kshs1.4 billion at this point and what is curious here is that this Vote is supposed to support the offices of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Local Government including General Administration and Planning and Grants to Local Government et cetera . Yesterday in this House, we raised the question of value for money, for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. For the money that we have voted here, could the Minister clarify for what purpose the Ministry or the title of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office is being funded? This is because from what it appears here is that, this office has been budgeted for like it is existing in full capacity like it did last year. We want to know the specific functions that are being funded by this Vote. The Minister ought to explain to this House because it is not correct for us to just vote finances and we do not know what value we are getting from this money. Finally, the third Vote I wanted clear information about is Recurrent Vote No.108. The Minister proposes that the Ministry of State for Defence receives something close to Kshs70 billion on the interim. What we want to know is that we have raised several questions about the involvement of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in Somalia. Last year, several Votes that we passed here as Development Votes were withdrawn and reallocated and funds were supposedly taken to continue or support the efforts the KDF was carrying out in Somalia. That includes the Kshs300 million that we had allocated for cancer machines across the nation. We were told by the Minister of Medical Services that the reason why those machines were not procured was because the money was taken to boost the effort by the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) in Somalia. At the same time, we have been informed that AMISOM has now taken over the support functions in terms of funds and supplies to KDF. That is because KDF has formally joined AMISOM. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we want to know how the Disaggregated Vote – the Kshs70 billion that we are voting - is divided. Where is the AMISOM amount coming in? Are we just giving this money? We do not really know. Have there been any refunds that have come from AMISOM? Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it appears that even after the Budget Committee raised issues to seek clarification, the figures that have been reflected in this Appropriation Account are still the same. So, we do not know how much AMISOM has contributed. We do not know how much AMISOM is supposed to contribute. The figures that were proposed before AMISOM was involved and the figures that are still here when AMISOM is involved are the same. So, we want to know. Is this going to be a question of double allocation to the Ministry of State for Defence? That is because if they get the refunds, what is going to happen to those refunds? We want clarity from the Minister - when he is responding – on what portion of the amounts we have received or are expecting to receive from AMISOM and whether those will be returned back to the Consolidated Fund. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to seek those clarifications. If the Minister can do so, we will support, subject, of course, to what we will do as the Budget Committee before the afternoon session. Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir."
}