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{
    "id": 736753,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/736753/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 88,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Gikaria",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2489,
        "legal_name": "David Gikaria",
        "slug": "david-gikaria"
    },
    "content": "At the same time, a steering council will be established in the Bill under Clause 19, and the CS, Finance and the Attorney-General will audit the Authority. In the Third Reading, I will approach the concerned Committee and raise amendments because this might bring conflict of interest. The same people in the board will also be in the steering council which will be supposed to audit the board. The steering council is supposed to oversee the Authority. Therefore, it is important for us to ask questions as to whether the CS, Finance and the Attorney-General ought to be in that council. They should be members of the board or be in the steering council. The qualifications of the chairperson are good. We have had challenges in the past because the issue of 15 years’ experience has raised many queries and has at times denied some young Kenyans a chance yet they are qualified in certain fields. It denies them an opportunity to chair some of these authorities. We have young Kenyans who are competent enough in terms of the stated qualifications other than the aspect of the 15 years’ experience. Looking at Clause 9, this is important. In the past, we came up with Uwezo Fund Board which only meets four times in a year. It has always brought a lot of issues because requests are made by qualified women and youth groups, but they cannot get funds within the three months. Sometimes it is important for us to look at the limit. The Bill has left it open-ended which is good because the Authority might meet severally so that they can make some urgent decisions. This Authority will be drawing money from the Budget that is approved by Parliament. I am also hoping that the responsible Committee will oversee this Authority because if they will be drawing from public funds and getting budget allocations from Parliament and Parliament is not involved in terms of auditing and oversight, it is important that we look into having a provision that states that Parliament must also be given an opportunity to oversee the Nairobi International Financial Centre, its function and the way it uses public funds. With regard to the Chief Executive Officer under Clause 14, the term of the Chairman is three years with the provision of an additional term of three years. But with regard to the CEO, it has been left to the Cabinet Secretary and the board to determine his or her term. We need to look into that so that we do not have one person serving as the CEO forever. It is important for us to look at having a specific limit of the term of the CEO to handle Authority matters. I raised the issue of the Cabinet Secretary of the National Treasury and the Attorney- General both serving on the Steering Council and at the Authority and whether we should have them in one place only. 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."
}