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{
    "id": 556403,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/556403/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 154,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ng’ongo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 110,
        "legal_name": "John Mbadi Ng'ong'o",
        "slug": "john-mbadi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for giving this opportunity to also support the Report of PIC on restructuring of KPRL. First of all, I must say that I am a bit disappointed that even up to late in the day like today, we are still talking about privatisation and modernization of KPRL. Those of us, who have been in this House for some time now, have spoken to this issue a number of times. We have expressed the fear that we are likely to suffer as a country in terms of external shocks in the event that we face shortage of petroleum products in this country. We have said previously that we need to have strategic petroleum reserves to be set up to cushion this country against such eventuality and to enhance the security of the petroleum supply. What is even more worrying is that any time this country attempts to privatise and enter into negotiation and contracts with private individuals from outside this country - mostly companies that do not reside in this country - the end result has always been a raw deal to the Kenyan taxpayer. Many times, the people who are given and tasked with the responsibility to ensure that our State corporations are managed properly and that contracts signed are in the best interests of the people of Kenya end up using their positions to enrich themselves, the consequence of which the Kenyan public ends up footing, supporting and financing decisions that are not in the best of the country. Take the example of many State corporations or companies where the Government has an interest in - like Mumias Sugar Company and Kenya airways. As a country, we are now being asked to bail out some of those State corporations just because some individuals have decided to take money from such State corporation or firms and line their pockets. Then you ask the Kenyan taxpayers to pay as if the money disappeared with some ghost. It is high time a decision was taken. The people who have been looting companies and firms where we have an interest - or the Government of Kenya has an interest - need to be held accountable. Decisive action needs to be taken against them. We should not only be talking every year when a clear case of corruption has come up and nothing happens. The individuals in the company called Essar Energy Oversees Limited, from the Report of the Committee, are known. In fact, one of the disappointments that I have with this Report is that we have not mentioned the officers by name. The Permanent Secretary and all the people who were involved in negotiating that lopsided contract which has exposed the taxpayers’ money to waste must pay the people of Kenya. They must pay dearly. How on earth would you sign a contract whereby you agree with that company to pay goodwill and then the amount which was supposed to be US$15 million is all of a sudden reduced to US$11 million and later on further reduced to US$2 million only? To make it worse, that company is allowed to trade for two years. It is after those two years that we are now being 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."
}