Members of the public from Uasin Gishu County today submitted their views and comments during a public participation forum on Privatization Bill, 2025, a National Assembly Bill sponsored by the Leader of Majority Party.
They expressed support while proposing some amendments to the bill which is currently at the public participation stage.
The Exercise was conducted by the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and select committee on Public Debt and Privatization for joint consideration.
Speaking during the public forum that involved residents drawn from across the six sub counties of Uasin Gishu at the County Hall, Eldoret, The Team Leader and member of the select Committee on Public Debt and Privatization, Baringo North MP Joseph Makilap indicated that the bill seeks to repeal and re-enact the regulatory framework for privatization of public entities with a view to improve efficiency.
“The new bill, if signed into law, seeks to repeal the privatization ACT (Cap. 485B), an old Act that came into force in 2005 and proposes a new legal framework that is aligned to the constitution and addresses new realities and opportunities,” noted Makilap.
The team’s chairperson further appreciated the residents who turned out in numbers from across the county including the elderly, youth, and PWDs to exercise their constitutional right to public participation as he affirmed that the initiative was to establish a legal framework to guide privatization of public entities in future but not sell any public company.
He mentioned that people have admitted that there are some parastatals that are highly profitable to the government, so they should not be sold wholly but the government should retain substantial shares.
Makilap highlighted that people have proposed introduction of clauses in the bill to protect strategic national assets like KICC, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), KPLC and others to prevent them from being privatized.
“They have proposed that we come up with some amendments to ensure that in every sale of parastatals, Kenyans are given a priority to buy so that foreigners do not take advantage of the country and buy everything leaving nothing for Kenyans,” he said.
“They have made a raft of proposals for amendment of this bill just like all other Kenyans. They also want a provision ensuring that any time there is an offer to sell Parastatals the people who are employed in those organizations are protected from losing jobs,” added the legislator.
Youth led by Paul Kibet from Moiben Sub County proposed the amendment on the 10 years’ experience required for one to serve as a board member, to be reduced to about 2 or 3 years so that youth who have had no much experience get a fair chance of employment in the privatization board.
“This requirement of 10 years is just too high. It should come down and should be inclusive of youth, women and persons with disability,” he noted.
The residents also suggested that the 8 years period for the privatization process be reduced because it will take too long.
Jonathan Chemjor, a resident from Uasin Gishu, expressed support for the privatization Bill noting there are some public entities marred with issues of mismanagement and lack of accountability for public funds hence causing huge losses to the government, “such parastatals should be sold to help government increase revenue raising measures, improve infrastructure and delivery of public services”, he said.
The members of the public called for accountability and transparency in the privatization process to ensure fairness in terms of what share percentage is sold to the public and how much is retained by the state.
“Let us put on toes those managing the parastatals to ensure efficiency, let us identify those faced with management issues, bankruptcy and support them, there should be criteria for selling and also retaking it back when the buying entity fails to run the organisation,” said Reuben Nyakundi a resident of Kimumu ward.
They also emphasized on the reporting criteria, where the government will announce the already sold companies, their current fiscal status so that they can follow up on the success of the already privatized entities.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
