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"content": "ensuring that what is happening in the courtroom is being done in an open and transparent manner. Mr. Speaker, Sir, for example, on the issue of this misconduct involving public officers including the importation of industrial sugar or all forms of sugar that were contraband or had poison, there are things that we are not being told. Even the process of these investigations and arresting people at some level is still a camouflage of what really happened. I am sure what the President is doing to ensure that even the procurement processes, its elements and dimensions are laid bare to the public is to try to resolve this problem about transparency and accountability. Mr. Speaker, Sir, those who brought this illegal sugar to this country have a paper trail. For example, if you are importing sugar from Brazil, there should be some paper trail not only in terms of the poor retailer who is buying that sugar from the importer somewhere in Thika or Mandera, but also how this sugar was obtained, procured and shipped from Brazil. That paper trail is there. However, we cannot realise this because we are doing things in a very opaque manner. In fact, I challenge the Government of the day that they should bring the real culprits in this sugar scam and the maize scandal before the law enforcement agencies. The people who are being brought before the courts are not really the initiators or the evil minds behind this fraud. If these papers were opened up and the public had access as to how the decisions were made and how the Gazette notice was framed and finally published, then we would be trying to get to the truth of the matter as to how all these happened. Therefore, this is not an idle engagement. It is a matter that requires, as a people, we do things the way they should be done in order to serve the interests of the public and the people of Kenya as a whole. On this legislation, the Standing Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights has done some work. The Chairperson of the Committee is here. He had a full House when the final Report was being made. They commended it as a good legislation. Although it could still be improved during the Committee stage, but being a Member of the Committee, as a guideline, it is the right thing for us to do in regard to public participation. This is because if we engage the public in all that we do, our commitment to achieving the promises of the Constitution, particularly the sovereignty of the people as laid out in Article 1(2) of the Constitution, would materialise. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I also want to add that Sen. Wako would have wished to move this Bill himself. However, because he is engaged out there in Geneva with the International Law Commission, he was not been able to be here personally to move this Bill. Probably he would have said more because he took a lot of time in preparation for this Bill. He used to sit here in the House until 6.30 p.m., but this matter would not be reached. Therefore, he decided that it should be moved anyway, even if he was not there himself to move it. I need not say more on this Bill and therefore, I would move the Bill and ask the distinguished Senator from Mombasa County, Sen. Faki, to second. Thank you. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}