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{
    "id": 868829,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/868829/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 260,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Igembe Central, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kubai Iringo",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1574,
        "legal_name": "Cyprian Kubai Iringo",
        "slug": "cyprian-kubai-iringo"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No.51 of 2017). Before I proceed with the Bill, let me take this opportunity to wish you and all my colleagues in this august House a Happy New Year. I thank God that we are here in one piece to execute the mandate which our people brought us here to execute. There is a lot in store for us and we thank God that we have the energy and the ability to do the same. Having said that, I support this amendment Bill which is pegged on Article 201 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 and gives strength to the financial management of this country. Even as we make these very pertinent amendments, they will need further amendments in the later stages. We need to make a concerted effort. If we are to succeed as a country, the laws which we pass should be prudently and religiously followed. We have laws which govern financial management in this country but unfortunately, we do not strictly adhere to them. Despite the fact that there are no loopholes, we create them to destroy what we have already made. As Parliament, we need to make sure that once we pass those laws, we see to it that they are followed. If anyone goes against them, the Judiciary has to follow up and ensure that those who do not follow those laws are reprimanded according to the law. We should also challenge the Executive in whatever laws we pass. Let us not use our powers arbitrarily or allow Executive orders to override what we have done in this House. These laws should bind all of us so that we walk the talk as we enact them. When we say that there should be no procurements or withdrawals before elections, let it be seen to be done. This is where the Executive hides. This is where it hides its strength so that they can go out there and use public funds and secure their positions again or help others get to those positions. There is also issue of waivers. There is the idea that every Cabinet Secretary and AIE holder should have their fees waived. We even have the Kenya Revenue Authority waiving some fees and the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) officers waiving fees on some importations. This will be checked. The CS for the National Treasury should handle this because Kenya is losing a lot of revenue, especially from people who use their friends or who want their friends to gain by waiving the fees which would have gone to the Exchequer for the benefit of this country. Those balances will really help us to make sure that monies are monitored properly. With regard to the county governments, they have heard that in this amendment Bill, they will have their take and what they will have to give out. Resources are terribly wasted in the county governments, especially the revenue collected locally. The accountability on that end has been minimal. You would find that funds which have been collected in a certain market, town or from a certain department are carried in a bag and taken to the office of the County Executive Committee Member (CEC) for Finance or even to the governor or deputy governor. That money is put in his office and is spent from there. That has been the talk. That has been the norm and it 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."
}