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{
    "id": 1153269,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1153269/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 209,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Ochillo-Ayacko",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "When I joined Parliament at that time, it was the 23rd department of the Office of the President. We had very little by way of salaries. We absolutely had no autonomy. President Kibaki then as the official leader of opposition did not agitate much for anything, but keenly listened to how we were structuring our reforms that have led to the autonomy and the independence of Parliament that we enjoy today. That reform movement that had been initiated by backbenchers of Parliament at that time was led by one Hon. Castro Peter Oloo Aringo. It comprised of a team that had Hon. Jimmy Agwenyi, Hon. Norman Nyagah, other members who may not be Members of Parliament today and I. They had the counsel and support of the leader then, President Kibaki. There was a time that we had the eagerness and excitement of trying to increase our salaries. When we had brought the Motion to Parliament and it went through then, it came to the calculation of what was supposed to be truly ours. Our minds at the particular time were driven by the fact that Kenyans wanted development and the Kenya African National Union (KANUs) policy during those days was that development would be premised upon how many harambees a Member of Parliament would initiate in his or her backyard. The late President Kibaki looked at the figures that Hon. Jimmy Angwenyi and Hon. (Eng.) Karue had worked on and asked why we wanted to raise our salaries to that amount of money. We said that we were doing it because we were tired of having to part with our already strained and little salaries to put up public institutions. He just asked us one question: ‘How much is enough money?’ He told us, “you could as well raise it to Kshs2million, but once the public will know that you have Kshs2 million for development, they will still come for it, and you will keep none.” He advised us that we could raise it modestly, but think of a way that constituencies will have a fund that is dedicated for public development, and that is what birthed the idea of the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF). The CDF that has revolutionised and changed rural constituencies into constituencies where modern services are offered to Kenyans was an idea that came off- the-cuff from a remark made by President Kibaki while he was the Official Leader of the Opposition because he was opposed to giving handouts. He is one President, one public figure that you would never find carrying loads of cash to dish out to people. He was a stickler to fiscal policy and budget. Once a budget had been passed, he would ensure that the budget is executed and implemented the way it was passed. He did not believe in having roadside declarations. He believed that if you wanted to do something successfully and in a measurable manner, you had to plan and budget for it. If you stuck to the implementation of that budget, then you would have the outcome that you desired. He advised us that we could not base our desire to satisfy the unmeasured means of our constituents by raising our salaries. He advised that we needed to have a fund and up to date. We have that fund courtesy of and accolades to the departed President that we are eulogizing today. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}