Gitobu Imanyara

All parliamentary appearances

Entries 6251 to 6260 of 6851.

• 22 Jan 2009 in National Assembly: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me an opportunity to make my contribution to this very important Motion. Let me at the outset say that nobody in their right senses would object to Kenyans getting food at this time when there is extreme hunger in the country. To the extent that the Government intends to seek a guarantee from this House of the equivalent of US$100 million in order to bring food to the country, the principle is acceptable and nobody is opposed to it. However, we have very strong reservations in the manner in which the proceeds of ... view
• 22 Jan 2009 in National Assembly: 4390 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES January 22, 2009 view
• 22 Jan 2009 in National Assembly: guarantee will be utilised and specifically given the very recent history of this country, whether indeed, that money or maize would be to the benefit of Kenyans. Also if the beneficiaries of that guarantee are going to be disbursed by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) as presently constituted under the chairmanship of one, Jimnah Mbaru. Our main concern is the lack of accountability procedures. We appreciate the urgency of getting this guarantee approved as soon as possible. view
• 22 Jan 2009 in National Assembly: Mr. Speaker, Sir, let the urgency not divert us from the real intention of this Government. It is not - I repeat - their intention to make sure that this maize reaches the farmers. Just this afternoon, the Minister for Agriculture told us that very substantial amount of maize would be due in the country this week or next month. So, there need not be any Kenyan dying because the Minister for Agriculture in his wisdom, which I admire, has already made provisions for the importation of maize to ensure that no Kenyan dies. view
• 22 Jan 2009 in National Assembly: Just yesterday or the day before, he told us that there is maize, in fact, even in Kitui District in Ukambani which falls in the Vice-President's district. He claims people are dying there and yet there is maize in the stores of the NCPB. The problem we are facing is the level of corruption. It has reached such high standards and levels that we cannot trust this Government. Should we guarantee this money and the NCPB is approved as the organisation to disburse or distribute it so that it reaches the Kenyans, then it will not. view
• 22 Jan 2009 in National Assembly: Mr. Speaker, Sir, secondly, just this afternoon we have been told by the Minister for Energy that one of the banks that is responsible or appears to have colluded in the siphoning of the money through the Triton Saga is Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB). Here again, the acting Minister for Finance has told us that the money will be disbursed through KCB as an approved bank. view
• 22 Jan 2009 in National Assembly: Mr. Speaker, Sir, he was the Chief Executive Chairman of this bank and he knows that those days the word of the Executive Chairman would lead you to getting or being denied a loan. So, we know from the history of this country that, in fact, one individual can run a bank as the Minister did when he was the Executive Chairman of KCB. view
• 22 Jan 2009 in National Assembly: Mr. Speaker, Sir, anyway to go to the point, guaranteeing US$100 million worth of maize importation is not the issue. We on this side of the House - I believe any right thinking Kenyan would support the guarantee - are opposed to this guarantee being managed firstly by the NCPB as presently constituted and secondly through the KCB. That is why in the wisdom of this House, when we enacted this Act--- I will refer to your ruling, although I would have, myself, seen it differently. The provisions of the law under which the Minister seeks this guarantee; Section 5A(2) ... view
• 22 Jan 2009 in National Assembly: "Where a Sessional Paper has been laid before the National Assembly in pursuance of this Section, the proposed guarantee to which the paper relates shall be deemed to have been approved by the National Assembly unless within seven days on which the Assembly next seats after the Paper has been laid before the National Assembly, a Member of the National Assembly gives notice of his intention to move a Motion that the proposed guarantee be not approved or that it be referred to a Select Committee of the Assembly." view
• 22 Jan 2009 in National Assembly: Mr. Speaker, Sir, when this law was passed, Parliament anticipated a situation whereby accountability procedures would be essential in terms of loan guarantees. It therefore, empowered any Member of the National Assembly to require that the guarantee be referred to a Departmental Committee of the House so that it can be subjected to scrutiny to ensure that the Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Finance and any other Government departments, including the representative of the United States of America (USA) can come there and assure the Committee that the accountability procedures are in place and, therefore, that when this guarantee is ... view