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{
    "id": 821587,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/821587/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 189,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Alego-Usonga, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Samuel Atandi",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13290,
        "legal_name": "Samuel Onunga Atandi",
        "slug": "samuel-onunga-atandi"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I oppose this Motion because from the Report that has been read to us by the Committee, we have been told that Esther has worked in the Government for many years, moving from one position to the other. Before we approve somebody for a very important position like a PS, we must interrogate the successes and contributions that she achieved in those positions. When you go deeper into her contributions in those positions, you will not see anything spectacular. Let me start by highlighting one of the most recent responsibilities that she had as Investments Secretary in the National Treasury. The Investments Secretary is the person who assists the Government in making investment decisions in various parastatals. There have been some decisions made in that respect where some parastatals have collapsed and we did not really interrogate what role the Investments Secretary had in the decisions that resulted in those parastatals collapsing. Secondly, during her tenure, the Government invested in some of the most expensive infrastructural projects. Some of those projects have resulted in our public debt hitting the roof. Those are some of the decisions that she must take responsibility for. Lastly, I worked in the banking sector. For any Government agency to invest funds in any commercial bank, her decision must be sought. She sits on all those Government agencies. A number of parastatals in this country have lost funds in commercial banks. We have not seen her coming out and taking responsibility for those collapsed banks where Government resources were lost. The fact that we have a problem with the performance of our National Treasury, where she had occupied a very central role, demonstrates that this is not a very competent person to sit in the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development as a PS. Currently, we are grappling with issues of inefficiencies at the Kenya Ports Authority and various parastatals that are responsible for this docket where she is supposed to serve. She is 61 years old. That means she is past retirement age. We know that in this country, children of the rich do not work hard. Even if they rise in positions, they do so because of favours. I plead with the House to reject this appointment because if we approve it, it will cause confusion in this Ministry. We need to have somebody who will demonstrate competence."
}