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{
    "id": 975843,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/975843/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 225,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Anthony Oluoch (",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "In respect of the youth, Article 55 of the Constitution speaks about the same thing. Article 55(c) provides that the State shall take measures, including affirmative action programmes, to ensure that the youth access employment. Article 56 also speaks to the same thing, providing that the State shall put in place affirmative action programmes designed to ensure that the minorities and marginalised groups are provided special opportunities for access to employment. I also refer to Article 100, which is in relation to the Bill on representation of the persons outlined there, who include women, PWDs, youth, ethnic minorities and the marginalised communities. I believe that this Bill is at the third stage and it speaks to the very same questions of the foundational principles. I want to end this by allowing us to review what we have put in our Constitution in Article 232 (1) and, in particular, paragraphs (g) and (i), which talk about fair competition and merit. There are notorious organs, institutions and organisations in this country where unless you belong to a particular tribe, you will never make it. In fact, there is a joke that has been going on in the social media that, in order to make it to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the qualification is your DNA. Article 232 (g) talks about fair competition and merit. We have 43 tribes and 47 million Kenyans. In terms of merit, we must ensure that this is not only in the Constitution, but it is implemented. Article 232 (i) is more instructive. It says that the values and principles of public service include affording adequate and equal opportunities for appointment and advancement, at all levels of the public service, of men and women, members of all ethnic groups and persons with disabilities. I pause there for me to underline and underscore this point. At the moment, under Article 95, the budget-making process is one of the key responsibilities of the National Assembly. We should require that the Budget Policy Statement (BPS), when the Cabinet Secretary appears before us, should outline what each Ministry is doing to afford opportunities for training and advancement for the young people of this country. This is so that every line Ministry shows what kind of internship opportunities are there in-line with their budgets. How will my people in Mathare Constituency access training? When you tell young people that they are required to have qualifications and experience and we do not put in place mechanisms and systems to ensure that they have those opportunities, what happens? In this year, as they bring the BPS, we must require that the Cabinet Secretary shows us what measures each Ministry is putting in place to ensure that we have opportunities for training and advancement of the youth of this country. On the question of advancement, it is possible to say that we will have equal opportunities for people to be employed, but how do you get people to be advanced? This is something that needs to be looked into. What are the parameters used? You will find that only a certain tribe or two will advance in terms of advancement in the public service. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I want to end by saying that under Article 5 of the Constitution, the Attorney-General is required to advise the President. We must require that the Attorney-General and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission also report to Parliament on how they advise the President on the principles and values in respect of appointments in the public service and all the other cadres in the Government Civil Service."
}