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{
    "id": 425528,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/425528/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 371,
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    "speaker_name": "",
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    "content": "rate was between 10 and 15 per cent, partly also contributed to by the rains which came very late. Investigations by the EACC are going on and the results are being awaited. On the issue of unregistered contactors, the Auditor-General was wrong. People are no longer required to be registered by the Ministry of Works. The contractors who were contracted by the Interim County Secretaries are all registered by the National Construction Authority. So, there he got it wrong and I was surprised. So, that should be very clear. On the issue of the Toyota Prado VX series, registration No. KBU 683T; we presented to the Special Committee of the Senate the details; that it is registered under the Embu County Government. So, there is no doubt about that. With regard to the Public Finance Management Act, in the entire Act, and also in the Procurement and Disposal Act, there is no clause which talks about the Governor. It is only about accounting officers and procurement officers. This is one area the authors of our Constitution and these Acts were very clear, that all the Governors should keep off money and procurement and that was the right thing to do. Let me refer to the Article in the Constitution which is talking about oversight role in terms of procurement, to ensure fairness, equitability, transparency, competitiveness and all that. We were accused that we have been giving all the contracts to one person. We were able to produce a schedule of more than 40 contractors who have benefitted from procurement. Sections 148 and 149 of the Public Finance Management Act, the Constitution of Kenya, Article 226(5) is very clear. This work is left in the hands of accounting officers so that the governors can do the oversight. In conclusion so that I can allow my counsel to contribute, may I say that the impeachment process by the Embu County Assembly was a fraud. They never gave me any notice or any chance to be heard. When it came to the voting, there was no secret balloting. People were voting in full view of those who were supporting the Motion. Having said that, may I add that the issue of Embu County executive and the Embu County Assembly, as some of the Senators have said, became very bad from 30th December, 2013. Why? That is the day when my county executive went to meet the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and Controller of Budget to get guidelines on why the County Assembly Members were paying themselves illegal funds and they are paying funds to Ward employees and Ward office managers which are not grounded on any framework of law. The three letters - which followed that meeting - from the Controller of Budget, the SRC and from the chairman of the Transition Authority, were harsh on the County Assembly members who have employed their relatives who do not even work in the County Assembly. So, the report is correct in the conclusion that the issue must be looked at. What I want to emphasize here is that there was malice in trying to fix the governor on this one for discovering financial improprieties. We have written to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. I am happy to hear that the Senate will also champion that line. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am here and I am taking the bullet. The Oracle has spoken but I will leave this place with my head high. I can assure you I will continue contributing to The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}