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{
    "id": 603196,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/603196/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 75,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "the conclusion of the work of the Committee in the particular task. The remainder is for the House to debate the Report and make what it may make of it. Hon. Members, on the notion that contents of the said Report have been overtaken by events, it is critical to note that in the typical production of reports of an audit nature, there is always the possibility that the situation would have changed by the time the report is concluded. You know too well that this happens severally in reports of PIC and PAC and less frequently in cases of inquiries that are carried out by Departmental Committees. Changes in circumstances or situations do not necessarily invalidate the findings of a Committee. It is also possible that such changes may have been attributed to the commencement of the parliamentary investigations themselves. How many times have persons been asked to temporarily vacate offices, dismissed from office or even arraigned in court in the middle of parliamentary investigations or after the report is laid in the House? As a matter of fact, new information coming after the Report has been laid is useful in two ways:- (i) it may present an opportunity to the Committee or, indeed, any Member in possession of the information, to move to the House to amend the Report to reflect the new or additional information; and, (ii) such additional information may assist the particular Committee and the Committee on Implementation to report the present position of the matter in question at a later time. Coincidentally, PAC and PIC are also expected to follow up on the implementation progress of their reports by way of the Annual Treasury Memorandum on the Implementation Status of the Committee’s Recommendations as adopted by the House. This ensures that the audit reservations do not keep recurring. Should the matters recur in the subsequent audit report of the Auditor-General, this also presents another opportunity for the Committee to address the matter in its current status, including any additional information that may have been submitted after the initial Report was tabled. Hon. Members, this leads me to the third and final issue for determination concerning modalities of engaging the Chief Justice in his various capacities. Members who have served in this August House for at least two terms may recall an arrangement utilized by the two watchdog committees, namely PAC and PIC; in resolving various audit issues a few years ago. At the end of every year, the two Committees would, after taking evidence, but before compilation of reports, pick out the salient policy issues that were recurring in audit reports and separately discuss them with key State and public officers in a sitting referred to as the “Meeting of the Big Five”. The “Big Five” in this case included the then Controller and Auditor General, the Attorney General, the Head of Public Service, the Permanent Secretary in charge of the Treasury and the Directorate of Personnel Management. The meeting would avail opportunity for discussion, at policy level, of recurring audit concerns, with the objective of ensuring that such matters were comprehensively addressed and policy framework for mitigation and deterrent measures would also be explored. Hon. Members, in light of Standing Order 1(2), which provided that in matters not provided for, the Speaker shall largely rely on forms, precedents, customs, procedures and traditions of this House, I wish to borrow a leaf from this old parliamentary practice and from the wise counsel proffered by the Member for Rongo Constituency, Hon. Dalmas Otieno. In this regard, the two watchdog Committees, namely PAC and PIC; should consider setting up meetings of what would now be referred to as the “Big Six” to handle matters of policy nature at the end of their annual audit inquiries. The Membership of the “Big Six” should ideally be 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."
}