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{
    "id": 522711,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/522711/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 119,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Dido",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2749,
        "legal_name": "Col (Rtd) Ali Rasso Dido",
        "slug": "col-rtd-ali-rasso-dido"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority is a very important body being established through this Bill. The Bill provides for a mode of presenting complaints, keeping a record of those prohibited to undertake contracts, market prices and benchmarked prices. One of the difficulties we experience in this country, particularly in the area of procurement, is lack of a common database that could quickly be accessed, so that you can know the value of a particular item with a view to assessing whether a particular individual is worthy of undertaking that contract. Lack of such common standards or stipulations causes individuals to buy big contracts through insider-trading. In the process, they sell such contracts to a third or fourth party. That is how some Kenyans make money illegally. On the Public Procurement Regulatory Board, the Bill talks about nomination of members by the Cabinet Secretary and approval by the President. I suggest that we amend this particular provision during the Committee Stage to provide that the Board must be approved by Parliament because the import of this Bill is bigger than the institution of the Cabinet Secretary and the National Treasury. By approving the Board, this House will have a clear oversight role in terms of even identifying areas of failure. The Bill says that one of the members of the Board could have a law degree or accounts credentials. I believe that the best way forward is to have lawyers and accountants manning the Board because both professions are relevant. What has not been defined is the term of office of the Board. It must be stated in the Bill - how long the Board members will serve. On the Director-General, the Bill is superfluous. It says that the Director-General shall not be employed in any gainful employment, work or do business during his tenure. It is important for us to understand how that provision will be enforced. Hon. Speaker, the Board will provide quarterly reports and annual reports within the third month of each calendar year. This Bill should go further and propose the provision of other reports like forensic audit reports to ensure that those responsible for public procurement entities do not sleep on the job or steal public resources, simply because there is no oversight or policing authority. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, finally, I want to talk about the responsibilities of the county government. Currently, we provide billions of shillings to the 47 counties of this Country. Already, one of the areas that have presented a problem to the county governments is building their human capacity to effectively manage the billions of shillings that we allocate to them. Clearly, there must be placing of responsibilities. Do we place responsibilities of theft and corruption in junior procurement officers or senior The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}