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"content": "saving the public from actual financial loss and ensuring adherence to Government financial regulations and procedures. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, towards that end, the Committee seeks your approval and support to spearhead the process of the creation of such a forum. I want to conclude. I would like to thank the Big Five, namely; the Attorney-General, the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, the Permanent Secretaries, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Finance, Ministry of State for Public Service and the Controller and Auditor–General for the co-operation which saw cross-cutting issues within Ministries and institutions well discussed between them and our Committee. The Committee would also like to thank all the Accounting Officers who appeared before us and provided valuable insights into the issues raised above. Finally, the Committee wishes to record its appreciation for the exemplary services rendered by the officers from the KNAO, Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Treasury. Indeed, their commitment and devotion to duty has made the work of the Committee and the production of this document a success. I wish, on behalf of this Committee, to point out two things in conclusion. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the first one is that there are two animals which this Parliament must address itself to. If Members will not have time to read much of the report, I request them to read the statement on public debt, especially pages 17 to 23. I am saying this because it has beaten the logic of our Committee completely, just as much as it beats the logic of the Controller and Auditor-General. It was found that expenditures of Kshs4.7 billion and Kshs13.1 billion were incurred on external debt interest and redemptions respectively, including Kshs392,902,014.70 and Kshs135,266,404. This money was paid towards the settlement of a Government debt guaranteed in the 1970s arising from contracts entered into with two foreign banks on an account of Ken Ren Chemical and Fertilizer Company. Apparently, the project never took off and the Government of Kenya did not receive any value for the money against the debts which are now being settled. As a result, the expenditure of Kshs528.1 million charged to the Consolidated Fund during 2006/2007 Financial Year, could not be confirmed as a proper charge to public funds. Can you imagine this happened in the 1970s when, probably, two-thirds of Members of this House were not yet born? A debt was incurred, no services or goods were delivered and no payment was made from 1970. I want to leave it to the House to find out who was the Minster for Finance and the Attorney-General at that time. Then from that time, President Moi came in and refused to pay these debts for 24 years. Then all of a sudden, this new Government starts paying that debt. Why? In this particular case, I pray that the children of the Attorney-General of Kenya, who are my nieces and nephews, should find time and success to be Members of this National Assembly. I wish them, so that they may read these things. The Attorney- General represented this country when this matter went to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for arbitration and this country was awarded and he refused to pursue the matter. So, we have millions of shillings out there and the Attorney-General is forever making trips out of this country. Why can he not just reserve one trip to go and pursue these hundreds of millions of shillings? It is very sad. I hear there is a lot of excitement about this thing called the ICC. They are so keen on the violence we had here, but they"
}