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5: 30 to 6 30 in parliament (October 5)
About 30 members in the house - 20 on government side, and 10 on opposition side, and the numbers will have dwindled to about 10 by the bottom of the hour.
Some familiar faces: Ministers Martha Karua, Henry Obwocha, Kivutha Kibwana, whip Norman Nyagah, Njoki Ndungu, John Serut, Linah Kilimo and others. Joining later will be Minister John Katuku, Wangari Mathai, Henry Kosgey, GG Kariuki, Kalembe Ndile (who walked in a khaki KWS ranger outfit to call Kivutha out of the house for a talk), Jane Kihara, and Reuben Ndolo and others.
As usual, there are numerous camps engaging in conversations while house proceedings are going on.
Minister Obwocha finishes the second reading of the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) Bill, and it is passed with unanimous "Aye's"
Justin Muturi, chairman of the Public Investments Committee was up next: He reviewed the work of the committee over the year, including dozens of meetings, site visits, review of numerous state corporation accounts and matters in those accounts raised/queried by the comptroller & auditor general.
He cited only a few issues which are contained in the extensive committee report to the house
1. Commended government for setting up of state corporations advisory committee – and facilitating for the "Big 5" - namely the AG, PS Treasury, PS Public Service, Comptroller & Auditor General, and the Head of Civil Service - to meet with the committee as they deliberate on their issues.
2. Maize importation during the drought was irregularly done and the government needs to tighten its procedures in future.
3. Failure to prosecute cases recommend by the PIC committee. He used the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) as an example where the committees had over the years recommend, in the 80's 90's and 00's, that charges be brought against top official of the corporation.
- Several cases initiated against the same people e.g. a Tirop, a Mugwe, a Magut, a company called Raspel and others. These included loss of 500 million shillings, a 7 million theft, and irregular surrender & sale of a plot on Loita Street.
- In each case, the CID would call in/question suspects in preparation for charges and each time the AG's office would call for the case files for "perusal and advice" and sometimes suspects would be ordered to be released by the AG.
- As a result cases never took off. One which did was thrown out since the judge said too long had lapsed. The State said it would appeal, but never did.
The PIC questioned this and the answers it got were a back-and forth blame game between the AG's office and the CID – leading them to conclude that there was a deliberate or clear lack of will to prosecute these case. Sometimes AG said cases were not ready or had no staff to prosecute.
The committee, even as it recommended that the AG's office hire more and pay staff better, was concerned that there was no will to prosecute these cases, right at the top (AG). He lamented that the committee and parliament would only be paying lip service to the fight against corruption unless the AG's office was willing to prosecute these cases. He asked that the committee be empowered to instruct, rather than recommend that the AG prosecute these cases.
It was now 6:30 and the Speaker (not Kaparo) adjourned proceedings until next Wednesday (Tuesday October 10 is a public holiday) when Muturi will continue with his committee report.
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