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{
    "id": 1120943,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1120943/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 79,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13131,
        "legal_name": "Johnson Arthur Sakaja",
        "slug": "johnson-arthur-sakaja"
    },
    "content": "imagine such a discussion taking place in another country; that the Kenyan Embassy is donating money to the democratic party and to institutions in the US or other countries for the election. A country’s sovereignty is something to be safeguarded and it should embarrass us--- I am saying this as someone who also led a party. We have depended on a lot of these foreign missions and organizations, such as National Democratic Institute (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI), State University of New York (SUNY) and many others. While it is true that their needs to be - even if you go through the Geneva Convention - a manner through which you engage in another country’s democracy or with another country on how they make their electoral choices, there is need for a balance. It is true that the IEBC and even our political parties are not well-resourced. That is the core problem we need to address. If we had the resources we require, I do not think any party leader or organization would go out there looking for resources from foreign countries, even just as a matter of pride. I am seeing in this note above the request that all these requests be channelled through the Government. You ask yourself, first, is the Government itself neutral in the election? That is the first question you must ask. What happens to those engagements that are already happening? It would be an interesting discussion to have when they come. We would like to hear the reasoning behind what the Government is saying because they are pointing out specific Embassies, Missions and international organizations domiciled in Nairobi, with the intent to engage Government institutions. From what I know regarding foreign policy and foreign affairs, countries perpetuate their interests in other countries. The Kenyan Mission in the United Kingdom (UK) is not perpetuating the UK’s interest. It is there to perpetuate its own interests and these countries which are here are perpetuating their own interest. Therefore, it is good for them to give clarity, but of course, without making a blanket statement that we do not want any resources from foreign countries and foreign missions."
}