Members of Parliament (MPs) have asked the Central Bank of Kenya and Communications Authority (CA) to seek Parliament’s legislative support to reign in on broadcast betting by telcos and Broadcast Media.
During a week-long induction retreat in Nairobi John Kiarie, Dagoreti South MP, argued that although telecommunication companies are registered as communication companies, they double up as banks.
“From where you sit as Central Bank, how can this parliament help you with legislation?” Posed Kiarie.
Kiarie observed in his presentation that the legislation as it is means breaking the telecommunication companies into different operating units where the communication sits on its own and they are regulated by the CA and they have a unit that is transacting money that will be regulated specifically from central bank of Kenya.
He sought clarity on whether the National Assembly can help the CBK with legislation
“Is this a law that is a requirement from parliament or is it CBK regulations that will separate these operations of the telecommunication companies?” Kiarie asked.
The MPs reiterated sentiments raised by Kiambaa MP John Njuguna Wanjiku alias Kawanjiku during the 12th Parliamentary sitting, while demanding questions from the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani to furnish the national assembly departmental committee on finance and national planning with financial details, records of tax remittances to KRA, pay bill codes issued by Telecommunication company firms particularly Safaricom and beneficiaries of broadcast gambling by radio stations and TV, demanding answers on remittances.
Kawanjiku singled out Inooro FM, Kameme FM and Gukena FM owned by Royal Media Services, Mediamax Network Limited and Radio Africa Group respectively as the major vernacular radio stations promoting the unregulated live betting shows.
He alluded that the companies are regulated by the CA, yet because they are also transacting money, there are some regulations that come from the CBK which they depend on as well and are not bound to them.
Although the CBK Governor Patrick Njorge did not immediately give a conclusive response, he claimed that the process is in progress.
At the time of his presentation, Njoroge claimed in a separate comment that in the last three months, there were people who tried to bring us back to the days of Goldenberg. I don’t want to go into the details because they will need proof and I am not the DCI. A comment that sprouted an uproar amongst Kenyans following the induction who insinuated that the alleged people wanted him to invest country resources into online telco; Bitcoin.