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{
    "id": 1136014,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1136014/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 265,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kiminini, FORD-K",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) Chris Wamalwa",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1889,
        "legal_name": "Chrisantus Wamalwa Wakhungu",
        "slug": "chrisantus-wamalwa-wakhungu"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I speak as the Secretary-General of FORD-Kenya and on behalf of the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC). There is an English proverb which says ‘a shoe wearer knows where it pinches.’ We have been in coalitions. We were in CORD and NASA. In the last Parliament, I brought a law on recognition of coalitions and, more importantly, on the aspect of funding of political parties. This Bill has merits and demerits. Article 94 of the Constitution is clear. When it comes to matters of legislation, this House has the authority. We are going to debate this Bill and where there are issues, we are going to propose amendments at the Committee of the Whole House. I request Members that we debate this Bill with decorum. I want to take Members down memory lane. In 2013, we were in the CORD Coalition. Those were FORD-Kenya, WDM-K and ODM. In 2017, we had WDM-K, ANC, FORD-Kenya and ODM. When we confronted the Registrar of Political Parties, she could not send us funding directly. It had to go through the big brother ODM. With this Bill, the Registrar will be able to disburse funds directly to members of a coalition. This Bill has even reduced the threshold for a party to get political parties funds. Under the Political Parties Act, for a party to be registered, it has to have offices in a minimum of 24 counties. It also needs to have, at least, 1,000 registered members in, at least, 24 counties. For a party to fulfil that, it needs money. Small political parties have really suffered. Under the Act, there is a funding of 0.3 per cent of the national government budget that is supposed to be channelled to political parties for purposes of enhancing democracy. On that note, having been a shoe wearer, I can say FORD-Kenya has suffered. Wiper has also suffered. ANC has suffered. KANU has suffered. You never know what will happen tomorrow. So, this provision is going to cure the sharing of the Political Parties Fund. The negative part of this Bill, to which we will propose amendments at the Committee of the Whole House, is to force political parties to finalise coalitions at least six months to a general election. We want to amend that so that we can allow coalitions as late as possible, in line with the election calendar. President Mwai Kibaki’s coalition was formed as late as 90 days to the general election. That is the bit that I call upon us to amend accordingly so that we give people freedom for purposes of having free and fair elections. This country is a multi-party democracy and its future is in coalitions. There is no way a single political party can grab power without coming up to negotiate. In the spirit of negotiations and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), it must be a win-win situation to every party; it is a give and take. I am calling the Hon. Members to look at this Bill objectively. Let us look at the gains of this Bill, and where we need amendments, let us come and reason together and amend accordingly for purposes of having free and fair elections. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I thank you and I support."
}