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"id": 323944,
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"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I make this statement on this issue that has been the subject of extensive national debate since the promulgation of our new Constitution in the year 2010. This is the issue of the restructuring of the system of Provincial Administration to accord with and respect the provisions of the new Constitution on devolved Government. The nature of debate on this matter has generated a lot of apprehension and fear on the part of the public servants currently serving within the Provincial Administration about their job security and future roles under a devolved system of Government. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the history of the system of Provincial Administration both during the colonial period and post-independence era is well known. It is a history that is not very inspiring when related to our national values and principles of governance such as democracy, respect of human rights, devolution, people’s participation, social justice, transparency, integrity and accountability. The architecture of the system of Provincial Administration was designed by the colonial Administration from inception to be a coercive and intimidating tool for the control of the people, then called natives. The Provincial Administration collected taxes, maintained law and order, provided social services and pacified the natives. It was mainly a mechanism for centralization of power within a centralized colonial Government. The post colonial experience with the system was not different, particularly during the single party rule. Administrators were used by the ruling single party to oversee the fraudulent elections and perpetuate forms of maladministration such as land grabbing and violation of human rights. The Provincial Administration was not provided for in the old Constitution but operated as a department of the Office of the President. The Provincial Administration in its present form is incompatible with our constitutional aspirations of devolution and sharing of power within the decentralized framework of governance. Unless restructured, it will conflict with the requirement of self governance at the local level. Mr. Speaker, Sir, with the promulgation of a new Constitution it has become necessary to restructure the system of Provincial Administration to rightly pass laws associated with it and to re-orient its culture to be more responsive to our national values and principles of governance. The system must fit within the new constitutional order establishing devolved government, a new national security arrangement which does not include the Provincial Administration among the security organs of the State. Mr. Speaker, Sir, let me address the issue of job security for those officers currently serving under the Provincial Administration, be they the Provincial Commissioners, District Commissioners, Divisional Officers, Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs. The future of public servants is secured by the new Constitution and they will not be laid off following the restructuring of the Provincial Administration. Our Constitution guarantees fair administrative process for all persons. Article 47 and Article 236 of our Constitution provide that no public officer shall be dismissed, removed from office, demoted in rank, or be affected by administrative action without due process of the law. Talk that Provincial Commissioners, District Commissioners, District Officers, Chiefs, and Assistant Chiefs will be sacked when the Provincial Administration is restructured is, therefore, false propaganda without any basis in law. The Provincial Commissioners, District Commissioners, District Officers, Chiefs, and Assistant Chiefs will either be absorbed in the new units within the devolved Government or will be redeployed to other"
}