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{
    "id": 993188,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/993188/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 159,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13131,
        "legal_name": "Johnson Arthur Sakaja",
        "slug": "johnson-arthur-sakaja"
    },
    "content": "Many of these bills are owed to ordinary Kenyans and not the big companies. You remember the case of a man in Kajiado who said he has been supplying his cows to the prisons and National Youth Service (NYS). So, not sorting out this will have a negative detriment. We are encouraged by the efforts and commitment by the National Treasury but we will keep following up. We will also follow up on county governments to make sure they sort out these pending bills. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we noted and commended the measures taken by commercial banks, SACCOs and other financial institutions to cushion borrowers during this time. That is the agreements for deferred payment and loans. As at the time of this report, in our discussions with the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA), they told us that during this period, the banks have, on a case by case analysis, encouraged borrowers to re-negotiate their loans. As at the time of filing this report, the KBA informed us that they had received over 20,000 requests amounting to Kshs160 billion. On a case by case basis, they have tried to work with their clients. We encourage Kenyans to go to their banks and negotiate. As we pass legislation on cushioning borrowers, many banks have expressed willingness. We commend the KBA and all our local banks. This is not the time to make profit. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have many recommendations. However, I will leave it to Senators to go through them and publish them to the public. Allow me to go to recommendations on this thematic area because of time. (a)The Ad Hoc Committee on Covid-19 recommends that the Cabinet Secretary for Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development gazettes regulations establishing the Micro and Small Enterprises Development Fund, that was established under Section 51 of the Micro and Small Enterprises Act (No. 55 of 2012), that has not been operationalized and present a report to the Senate within 60 days from the date of adoption of this report. (b)To enhance accountability for and oversight over the COVID-19 Emergency Fund, and other funds established at the national and county level. The National Treasury, and the county treasuries to submit monthly income and expenditure reports to Parliament and the respective county assemblies. Community level monitoring and evaluation frameworks should also be put in place to ensure proper oversight of emergency COVID-19 funds. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this came up from the observation that many accounting officers are taking advantage of the pandemic to do emergency procurement and misuse funds related to sorting out the issue of Covid-19. They must continue to follow the public procurement laws that we have. Any funds that have been set aside including by the Covid-19 Fund, for the purposes of dealing with Covid-19, the national Government and county governments should give a monthly income and expenditure report of what they have received and what they have spent so that we do not see suspicious budgets. They shall give those reports to the Senate and the National Assembly and to the respective county assemblies. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}