• Defence and Agriculture CSs Summoned to explain legal instruments used in the transfer deal.
• In a motion moved by Machakos Senator Boniface Kabaka, the legislators want to know how long the transfer of the commission to KDF will take effect.
Image: JACK OWUOR
Senators have opposed the government's move to transfer Kenya Meat Commission to the Ministry of Defence.
The legislators on Thursday said there was no public participation that was undertaken before the decision was arrived at.
The Senators now want the two cabinet secretaries for Agriculture and Defence to appear before the house and explain what informed the transfer of the commission to KDF.
Kenya Meat Commission was last week moved from the Ministry of Agriculture's Livestock Department to the Defense Ministry.
Agriculture CS Peter Munya through an internal memo to the livestock PS Harry Kimtai directed the transfer of ministerial responsibility of the KMC to the Ministry of Defence.
“Following the transfer of Ministerial responsibility of Kenya Meat Commission to the Ministry of Defence by the President, you are directed to facilitate a seamless transfer of KMC to the Ministry of Defence,” the memo dated September 7 read.
Munya further directed the PS to ensure coordination of the entire exercise with the National Treasury and transfer the associated budgets to the next scheduled Supplementary Budget.
But in a motion moved by Machakos Senator Boniface Kabaka, the legislators want to know how long the transfer of the commission to KDF will take effect.
"Mr Speaker the CSs must tell this house what are the implications of the transfer on the ministry of Agriculture and what are the legal instruments that were used," he said.
Narok Senator Olekina Ledama said it is sad that anything that was established under an act of the house has been disregarded by the current regime.
The Senator said KMC was established in the 1950s under an Act of Parliament and if the President felt the need to transfer the department to KDF, he should have sought Parliament's views on the matter.
"Mr Speaker as we speak we have information that KDF is the biggest liability to KMC because they owe the commission over Sh7 billion. Why are we solving a problem by creating a bigger problem? In this case, will the Sh7 billion debt be written off?" Olekina posed.
According to him, with the relationship that exists between KDF and civilians, it will be difficult for any business to be transacted.
"How will these civilians deliver goods in a military zone which under our laws are protected zones. We must be told which Act of Parliament has allowed KDF to do business with civilians and if so will all the other collapsing companies be handed over to them," he said.
Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo said serious consultations about the transfer need to be done before the commission is handed over to KDF.
She said though KMC has had management issues, that did not guarantee the move to be moved to the Defence docket.
"Mr Speaker thorough investigations must be done and the matter reported to this house. Many Kenyans feel scared of KDF how will they even access services at KMC under their docket," she said.
Nominated Senator Abshiro Halake said it is sad that the use of Executive Orders and gazettement have become the order of the day.
According to her, there must be a detailed explanation as to whether the government is turning KDF into a marketing agency or a meat processor.
"The best option if the government is not a business is to get out. Instead of a transfer to KDF which is still owned by the same government, they would have privatised the commission," she said.
Abshiro said KMC has not been performing for decades now because it has been under the management of the same government.
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua said the current move by the head of state to use military personnel is setting a dangerous precedent.
Wambua argued that there must be full disclosure of the details in the transfer especially on the legal instruments used.