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"id": 82968,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/82968/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Keynan",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 41,
"legal_name": "Adan Wehliye Keynan",
"slug": "adan-keynan"
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"content": "In the early years, we used to have political diplomacy but right now the theme is economic, environmental, ecological and parliamentary diplomacy. These are the modern themes. As a country, we have no choice but to adjust to this reality. One of the things that we realized when we visited Egypt is that, in the late 1980s our ambassador or the Government then, acquired a piece of plot in one of the suburbs of Cairo. Then it was not an official policy; it was something that was done ad hoc by those who were in charge. But again, owning property in any city is something that any country would be proud of. Those who visited Berlin know that, just next to the Chancellorâs office is an old building owned by the Government of Sweden. I think many of you must have seen it. They have been given all sorts of offers but they have refused to sell it. Owning property is something that any country would be proud of. After the individuals who were there in the late 1980s bought that plot, it dawned on somebody in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after this policy, that they needed to dispose of that property in order to get money to construct the ambassadorâs residence. That policy was implemented. As a committee when we visited there, we were in concurrence that, that area where our plot was located was slowly turning into a slum and there was need---. What shocked us was that the proceeds from that particular property were not used for the intended purpose. Mr. Speaker, Sir, one of the documents that I will show to Parliament is a product of what we were given by the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, who is the custodian of all Government money; it says â this is one thing that were also shocked about â that first of all, 10 per cent of the proceeds had not reached the Ministry concerned. We all know that the use of appropriations-in-aid must get the consent of the Treasury. This is a reality. We have not seen the consent of the Treasury. Ten percent is missing. It has not reached the account of the Ministry. This is one thing where we feel that, as an administrative measure, or as a prudent financial mechanism, the Ministry must be prepared to find out what happened to the remaining 10 percent. We have disputes over the issue of the price. All the same, the remaining 10 percent must be secured. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we sold the property at US$677,246. We did not have a new ambassadorâs residence. Ten percent is missing. Even if we did not need an entire marionette or bungalow, that money was enough to buy us at least two or three floors. One common denominator in all these five countries is that--- If you look at Egypt, it is a key importer. It is one of the very important economic partners of this country. They import a lot of tea from this country. If you look at Pakistan, they import a lot of our tea. If you look at Brussels, it is the headquarters of the European Union. If you look at Nigeria, it is the giant of West Africa. If you look at Japan, it remains the biggest multi-lateral and bilateral donor to the Republic of Kenya. So, we are dealing with countries that are relevant to our economic diplomacy. These are not countries about which we can say because of regional interest and integration we need to have a mission in. The Governor of the CBK in his submission to the Committee, which again is part of the report that we have tabled, said he did not want to bother about how much was sent but he acknowledged that he received it and it was 10 per cent less the purchase price. It is an issue that the Ministry needs to explain. Mr. Speaker, Sir, after Egypt we went to Islamabad. We bought a plot again in Islamabad in the early 1980s. Sometime back, the Ministry, through a consultant, designed a programme to construct a new ambassadors house and a chancery. Shockingly, because of the deteriorating security situation in Pakistan, the construction cost has been varied twice. Our mission has moved both the chancery and the ambassadorâs residence but the property is not complete. It is up to 40 per cent done. I know right now there is an attempt to vary the cost. One of the things that we noted is that if there were prudent institutional mechanisms that variation would have been avoided. When we went there, the contractor was not on site. But when he was told that a Committee of Parliament was visiting there, taking into account the unique circumstances or challenges facing Pakistan, the contractor came back to the site, and belatedly put in place a number of issues just to pretend that something was happening on the ground. I am not a lawyer, but legally if you have taken possession of something that was under construction and the guy has moved out of site, is there any obligation on you as a client to force that individual to complete the contractual obligation? This is something that I need to be told. For us, we are persuaded that first of all, it is in our economic interests, as a country, that, that project in Pakistan be completed. The budgetary provision was about Kshs366 million, and as at the time when we were there, the cost stood at almost Kshs523 million, and it is still not complete. I know there is a request for a variation. This is something that we need to address. Mr. Speaker, Sir, Belgium is a very important country as far as our history is concerned. It is the headquarters of the European Union. It is the headquarters of the European Parliament. Kenya enjoys very cordial bilateral relations with all the European States. In 2008 there was an attempt to comply with the requirements. The first requirement was that before the Ministry acquired any property abroad, it was to form an Inter-Ministerial Committee. In this particular instance there was an attempt. What shocked us was that our own valuers did a valuation. They came up with a value of 3 million Euros. The Ministry was not satisfied with that. They got another valuer in Brussels. They came up with a valuation of about 3.1 million Euros. Again, with the knowledge and, I believe, deliberate attempt by the Ministry, the value of this property, using things that are not allowed in Europe--- Second hand furniture in Europe is something that all of us know has no commercial value. The vendor was asked to include in the purchase price a figure for furniture, fittings and refurbishment. When we went there all these things had not been carried out, yet we ended up paying almost 850,000 Euros more for a property that would have cost us 3 million Euros. That property was constructed in 1920. As we speak, it is a national monument. We cannot use it as we want. The Government of Belgium will have to call a Cabinet meeting. They will have to call the mayor, revise their rules, call in the architectural association. It was constructed in 1920. The essence was that we were not in a state of war. What prompted that unwise decision by the Ministry? Why was the Ministry in a hurry just to acquire that property? Why were we prepared to pay over 800,000 Euros more for a property that we knew was constructed in 1920? These are issues that we felt were not prudently handled. I will explain the reason later on why all this had to happen before I move to the next issue. Mr. Speaker, Sir, acquiring property is noble, but these are long-term investments for 40 million Kenyans. Whoever is doing it is undertaking that particular project on behalf of the Republic of Kenya. That aspect is not explainable. We visited there. We have photographs of the cracks and even the building. It does not look like something that our mission can use. The only good thing about it is that it is located in a central area in Brussels. But everything else is wrong. That is one issue that we need to have explained. Another thing that we felt touches on Belgium--- Belgium is the headquarters of the European Union. We are not questioning the aspect of the costing. We needed a technical person who understands the intrigues of international trade and diplomacy. I need to say in the presence of the entire Parliament that there are letters by our own Mission staff that have been copied to the President of the European Union (EU). We are washing our dirty linen that touches on our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in particular that Mission. I am sure my friend, hon. Wetangula, has received a copy of that letter. So far, no action has been taken. We have a copy of that letter which touches on a number of very serious issues that touch on our sovereignty as a country. It is copied to the Speaker of EU, EU Commission and me as the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations. It is also copied to the Minister, Permanent Secretary and to date no action--- As we debate this Report, I want to appeal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take that issue as a matter of national importance and bring that acrimony in our Mission in Brussels to an end, so that, at least, that can enhance our image as country."
}