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{
    "id": 995199,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/995199/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 508,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Farhiya",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13179,
        "legal_name": "Farhiya Ali Haji",
        "slug": "farhiya-ali-haji"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker for allowing me to move this Bill. Madam Temporary Speaker, as you are aware, prompt payment, especially in counties that this House represents has been a challenge. This Bill is meant to create a framework to facilitate prompt payment for goods supplied, works and services procured by Government entities, both at national and county level. Articles 201 (d) and (e) of the Constitution on Principles of Public Finance provides as follow: (d) Public money shall be used in a prudent and responsible way; and (e) Financial management shall be responsible, and fiscal reporting shall be clear. The prudent management of financial public funds include meeting of financial obligations by procuring agents. There is no point in giving people business if you are not willing to pay them on time. Sen. Sakaja and I were prompted to sponsor this Bill in December, 2018 when there was a request from the Senator of Kitui County for payment of suppliers who had been engaged by the previous governor. I was a Member of the Committee on Finance and Budget. On that particular day, I was Chairing because both the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson were not there. There were a lot of issues that transpired on how Kenyans were being harassed with regard to their payments. Some of the issues that were dispensed with together with the suppliers who appeared before us were such that some of them lost their properties. As a result, some lost their lives due to heart attack. It was such a grueling experience considering the way those people were treated. In my view, this Bill is overdue and it is something that we need to dispense with. The Bill recognizes that apart from giving effect to principles of public finance, prompt settlement of bills, it also promotes roads, extensions and supports the robust growth of the economy. We all know resources are limited. If payments are not done by a county and suppliers keep on supplying and committing all their money in a contract that was awarded either by the national or county governments and they are not paid on time, even the money circulating in the economy is affected. By extension, our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and economy in general will be affected. Therefore, this Bill is addressing all that. A vibrant economy with numerous benefits such as increasing the rate of employment and people being paid on time increases the rate of employment, growth in revenue collection from thriving business and investor confidence in the country. At a macro level, the Bill seeks to solve the problem of late payment to suppliers for goods and services and to work as an impetus for growth for business and economic development. 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."
}