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{
    "id": 366634,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/366634/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 139,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Kenyans with track records are given jobs based on their merit, but not on where they come from. Hon. Speaker, Sir, the five nominees are technocrats or professionals who have track records in whichever capacity they served our country. If you look at the record of Dr. Kamau Thugge; his history at the Treasury is well known. Dr. Wilson Songa, who was the Permanent Secretary for Agriculture in the last Parliament has a very good track record. I am sure KMC farmers will attest to the role Dr. Songa played in the agricultural sector. Hon. Speaker, Sir, Eng. Oganga Magiti, who comes from an arid area, was a director of water at the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. Those of us who come from pastoral areas and who in the last five to seven years were victims of the adverse drought effects in our country; know the role Dr. Magiti played in steering that Ministry and even dealing with the leadership of this House. Hon. Speaker, Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed has a record as the director of NASCOP in the Ministry of Health. I am sure those who have an engagement with that organization and the Ministry of Health have his record. Mr. Konchella, just like his counterpart, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Mr. Macharia, has a track record in the private sector, more so in the banking sector. Hon. Speaker, issues of integrity, qualification and public service are the benchmark in which these five great Kenyans were vetted on. I also want to thank the Committee on Finance, Planning and Trade because they had the highest number of nominees, five nominees. They did it in one day and I want to thank the Chair, hon. Benjamin Langat and the Committee for being the first committee to present its report today. It is within the provision of Standing Orders that I want to thank our colleagues and shame those who said that hon. Members do not work. Hon. Speaker, I hope Sarah Serem is watching the deliberation of this House this morning. Sarah Serem wanted to gag the operation of Parliament. I want to tell her this morning that this is a special sitting based on the workload and the urgency that is before Parliament. Parliament is independent and it has its calendar. I am sure there are many people out there who might have thought that Sarah Serem is a heroine and that she can gag Parliament. I want to tell them that the calendar of Parliament is gazetted, it is a public document. Where we feel that it is a national issue; where the national calling has come; when Parliament, in its wisdom, under your leadership and the leadership of the House Business Committee is sitting, we might even extend the sitting hours of this House. Hon. Speaker, Sir, those who want to peg Kshs5,000 that hon. Members earn from a sitting; we want to tell them that the Kshs5,000 is a drop in the ocean. It is a peanut and it is not even an issue for us. What is an issue for us is how to implement Constitutional provisions. Again, I want to thank the Committee and the Directorate of Committee Affairs of this Parliament, led by a very able staff of this Parliament, Madam Florence Abonyo, the Clerk’s Office, the staff and Speaker of Parliament, for facilitating and making sure that the 26 nominees are vetted and the public had been given their bit. My colleagues, various Chairs and their Committee Members did their bit and today the sitting of the House has been called so that we give the country men and women who can serve our"
}