{"id":804905,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/804905/?format=json","text_counter":183,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Mr. Henry Rotich","speaker_title":"The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury","speaker":{"id":13142,"legal_name":"Henry Rotich","slug":"henry-rotich"},"content":"As this is a commercially viable project, we plan to deliver it on a project finance basis without recourse to public debt. The Government will, however, invest as a shareholder in the integrated project and will provide public sector facilitation as necessary. The recent drought and floods that have afflicted most parts of our country underscores the need to preserve our forests and environment. Therefore, to enhance and sustain environment protection, flood control and water harvesting interventions, I have allocated: Kshs7.2 billion for Water Resource Management, Kshs33.7 billion for Water and Sewerage Infrastructure Development, Kshs2.9 billion for Environment Management and Protection, Kshs10.8 billion for Forests and Water Towers Conservation, Kshs8.3 billion for Integrated Regional Development and Kshs2.2 billion for Meteorological Services To further enhance our capacity to handle the effects of floods and other disasters in the future, the Cabinet has approved the Disaster Risk Management Policy and Disaster Financing Strategy as well as Disaster Risk Management Fund. In addition, the Cabinet has also approved the National Drought Emergency Fund for timely mobilization of resources to fund intervention, mitigation and recovery. Hon. Speaker, a key enabler for achieving the Big Four Agenda is eradication of corruption. Without vigorously addressing corruption we will not achieve our aspiration of becoming a middle income country with a high quality of life. It is critical, therefore, that each arm of Government – the Legislature, Judiciary and the Executive – play its role firmly and without fear or favour. The new Constitution provides for independent institutions, commissions, and institutions dealing with governance. We have strengthened the multi-agency team enabling them to investigate, prosecute and recover corruptly acquired assets. Additionally, we have enhanced the oversight and legislative role of Parliament and access to justice, by allocating Kshs36.8 billion to Parliament and Kshs15.2 billion to the Judiciary. We have undertaken reforms to improve the Public Procurement and Disposal System in order to effectively and efficiently manage our resources as provided for in the Constitution. This has simplified the procurement process. To enhance this further, we intend to revamp the procurement process. Firstly, we will shortly be submitting to Parliament the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act (PPAD) regulations. Hon. Speaker, allow me to share some of the major highlights of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Regulations, which provides for: (i) Establishment of common user agency that will facilitate and manage the procurement of standard goods and items. This is aimed at reaping economies of scale while minimizing expenditure and having standard pricing on such items; (ii) Enhancement of the e-procurement platform to improve efficiency and effectiveness, accountability and transparency in the procurement processes; (iii)Provisions to facilitate prompt payment for performed contracts within 60 days upon proper certification of the same; (iv) Provisions for firms that supply manufactured articles, materials or supplies wholly produced or mined in Kenya to enjoy various margins of preference in procurement evaluation; (v) Margin of preference shall also be extended to local contractors and suppliers where Kenyans are shareholders and offering goods manufactured, assembled, mined, extracted or grown in Kenya. To this end, all accounting officers of procuring entities are required to procure items The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."}