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{
    "id": 681036,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/681036/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 71,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Oyugi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 444,
        "legal_name": "Augostinho Neto Oyugi",
        "slug": "augostinho-neto-oyugi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Indeed, I do welcome all the pupils in the Public Gallery and hope they can follow this particular important debate. The PBOs Act, which was enacted in 2013, is important because it seeks to regulate the sector that is being worked on by various Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). This Bill is also important for several reasons. First, it creates a federation of various PBOs that will allow any public authority, which has been registered in this country, with the effect of the Bill coming into operation a chance to form a federation of its own liking. It will join a federation of like minded PBOs which think within that sector and agree on terms of what they are supposed to do. Second, the Act created an Authority which is supposed to replace the NGOs operations board, when it comes into operation. The Authority is supposed to have powers to register various PBOs and the term set for that Authority is a period of two months. You will notice that the NGOs Act presently has been having various organisations registered within a period of six months. But, this particular Act makes the Authority to have only two months within which to register various organisations. Thirdly, the Act creates a tribunal, which is supposed to listen to disputes amongst the various PBOs and also issues that arise from the members of the public with various PBOs. The tribunal will have a chance to make decisions of its own accord but there will be a chance to have review with the High Courts. Several things will happen once this Act comes into operation, with the particular amendments we have put in place. I would like to request members of the PBOs and the public to take into consideration Section 70 of the Act, which is going to repeal what is in the current NGOs Board Act and Section 71 which creates transitional clauses. It gives all the NGOs which are currently operating under the NGOs Board a chance of one year to register a fresh within amending of the new Act. It is also going to give various organisations a chance within which to apply. For those who have international connections and want to be registered in Kenya they are also going to register a fresh. The PBOs Act 2013 creates several obligations in the parts of PBOs. The first one is that currently, PBOs are supposed to harmonise the work they do. The sectors in which they are going to choose to work in are clearly enumerated in the Schedule of this Act. They will choose whether to work in the sector of health, education or culture, so that a PBO is not going to operate in an omnibus manner by working across sectors. The second thing is that this Bill is going to make sure that the functions of various PBOs are subject to members of the public. There is already a clear provision in this Bill that requires PBOs to make sure that members of the public have access to information on what they do. Presently, many PBOs operate in a very opaque manner. Organisations come into your village, but you do not even know what they are planning to undertake or their budgets. This Bill requires PBOs to tell the members of the public what they do. Members of the public can go to the Authority and make requests to know what various PBOs do in their areas. This Bill also ensures that the Government and PBOs work in harmony. We appreciate the realisation of various rights, be they political, economic or socio-cultural rights, is not possible only with the Government. Within the meaning of this Bill, PBOs are supposed to work together with the Government in terms of ensuring that various rights are realised, be it the right to education or the right to health. The Government is also going to be under obligation to ensure that, that happens."
}