The Justice Committee of the National Assembly has deleted Clause 19 of the Conflict of Interest Bill 2023 which barred public officers from trading with any state entity.
The Leadership and Integrity Act 2012 states that public officers shall not participate in tenders to public entities in which they are serving. The proposed Bill sought to extend this to all public entities.
However MPs now want the Bill changed back to allow public officers to trade with any state agency except their own employer.
This dangerous development undermines previous efforts by the Uhuru government and BBI to block insider trading where civil servants hoover up contracts within government.
The rot set in a long time ago with the Ndegwa report in 1970 that allowed civil servants to go into business on their own account and to use their contacts inside government to enrich themselves.
The MPs are deluding themselves if they think public officers can only exert influence within their own institutions or 'employers'. They all have colleagues in other ministries or state bodies.
President Ruto should insist that Clause 19 is retained in the Conflict of Interest Bill and that family members are also excluded from tendering.
Quote of the day: "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans."
John Lennon
The Beatle was shot dead on December 8, 1980
