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{
    "id": 640507,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/640507/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 360,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "President Kibaki’s era, farmers knew what to expect as it approached planting season. They knew they were going to get Kshs. 3,000 per bag. Despite the rise in the cost of production, the price this year fell to Kshs.2,300. As we start a new planting season, we do not know what price a bag of maize will be yet maize is our basic food, without which we cannot be self-sufficient or independent. I believe that other areas of wastage will be addressed. There is a lot of wastage in Government. Despite devolution, ministries continue to hold the staff complement that they had. What happened to the issue of staff rationalisation? We have a lot of idle human resource and, unfortunately, most of our staff in the ministries are qualified. They can be consultants anywhere but if you look at what is happening in counties and mother ministries, the amount of wastage in terms of duplication of roles is enormous. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there is no reason why we should be employing consultants when we already have in-house consultants. There is a lot of wastage in counties. That is why they are on a spending spree hiring consultants when they are readily available in the ministries. The other issue is about debt. The rate at which we are incurring debt, we may be putting our future generation in jeopardy. We might reach a situation where we may not service these debts adequately. Any debt incurred should be one that goes towards growing the economy and not the one that puts up white elephants which do not earn us anything. The area of procurement has been proved time and again as one area where public funds are siphoned illegally. I hope that the President will address this issue to ensure that procurements are need-driven and that there is a need analysis done by those who are in responsibility in the Government. Unfortunately, some of the procurements are driven by suppliers in the private sector. Procurements are initiated, driven and concluded at the whims of suppliers. This should stop because it ends up increasing the cost of the services and our debt levels. I believe that His Excellency the President, whom I have no doubt has every good intentions for this country, being the chief executive, wants to ensure that there is development during his term in office. However, those charged with responsibility must deliver. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I support."
}