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"id": 113909,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/113909/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Mwiria",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology",
"speaker": {
"id": 190,
"legal_name": "Valerian Kilemi Mwiria",
"slug": "kilemi-mwiria"
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other issue that I wanted to talk about is corruption. Some of the clauses of the new Constitution would greatly contribute to fighting corruption. There are many issues that we are going to discuss when it comes to the Constitution. So, it is particularly important that it passes. In addition to bringing people together, it will contribute to fighting a problem and a disease that has been difficult to eradicate for years. But we cannot see corruption just in terms of senior politicians and other people. In fact, we are living in a country where corruption in many ways has almost been democratized, in that people expect favours. Even what you are expected to be given rightly by the Government, you have to bribe. You will find that in the public, churches, employment, educational institutions with examinations and so on. So, as we fight this, we must also ask questions. I hope the Constitution will help us resolve what kind of structures we are putting in place to ensure that there is fairness in employment such that, we do not have to go to people we know or some contacts, so that you are given a job. It is particularly critical when it comes to the forces; the police, Military and Administration Police. This process, as Members of Parliament and Kenyans have said, is really a joke of the whole institution of recruitment in terms of merit. You need money to buy those jobs in order to be in the military. So, why do we not think of a better system that is even more democratic, consultative and involving? We have given before the example of how teachers are recruited where the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) would give guidelines to the communities. The communities, where the Member of Parliament and other leaders are represented, would do a shortlist of the candidates that would be eligible. They can do that shortlist to make sure that it is representative constituency- wise, in terms of gender and the background of the candidates. After that shortlist of 20 or 50, the Military can then come and pick the ten that they have to pick from that constituency and ensure that they have the right qualifications. But when you leave a few people to do it and make a joke about young people by bringing thousands of them to run round a field when you know that you have almost predetermined whom you are recruiting, I think sooner or later, young people will say enough is enough and they riot. So, it is important that, that process is made consultative and we learn from the experience of the way teachers are recruited in this country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in addition to coming up with legislation on corruption, I think we must also be prepared â and I hope the Constitution will take account of this â to take drastic action against the corrupt. In countries of the East, the punishment is very severe. In some cases, there is execution in public. This is because when you commit major crimes, you are killing more people than even a murderer, because hospitals have no medicine, more accidents due to narrower roads than they should be and no facilities in schools. It means you are killing the lives of innocent Kenyans in many ways. Therefore, it is not enough to have legislation, especially when you realize that even the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) is struggling to get cases going through. I think we should just have no patience with the corrupt by taking drastic action against them and not worrying too much about legal structures. This is because many of these people are able to buy their way and get the best legal representation that is possible. I also agree with the President that as we do this, this fight must not be selective or personalized. We must not personalize or politicize who we touch. But at the same time, you can look at this on the flipside and say that we should not personalize or politicize inaction against the corrupt. So, as long as we do not personalize those we touch, we should also not personalize or politicize those that are corrupt that are not being touched. If the two principals really wanted to fight corruption in this country, they just need to sit down and go through the list of their politicians and supporters and ask questions about the people they have. They should ask: âWho in my camp has been involved in corruption?â They will probably find, at least, ten from each of the camps. If they sacrifice them at a go, then it would be clear to the public that the real fight against corruption is not being politicized and that if you are corrupt, irrespective of how close you are to the principals, you would be touched. Unfortunately, they do not need any law or authority."
}