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{
    "id": 126969,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/126969/?format=api",
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    "content": "with targeting individuals because we seem to have a tendency to think we are targeting somebody. One of the provisions that Members have brought to my attention, which I am willing to consider is on Clause 4, which specifies the qualification for appointments to the Offices of the Minister. There is a provision where no person shall be appointed to the Offices of the Minister unless such a person is a Member of Parliament, holder of a university degree or its equivalent and is a person of integrity. We cannot occupy the privileged position of being an advisor to the President, that is essentially what the Cabinet is all about and you cannot even make a claim to personal integrity. This is something that needs to be done. The hon. Justice Ringera used to say that we need to know the fidelity of Caesar’s wife. I am wondering why he is not exercising the same. We need Ministers of the Cabinet to have the integrity similar to the fidelity of Caesar’s wife. A mere driver being employed in the Public Service is required to produce a certificate of good conduct. How many of our Ministers can pass a test of getting a certificate of good conduct from the police? We will be surprised that most of them fly the flags and they fly them to courts. Most of them still occupy the positions of Ministers and if we do a background check on them, they cannot even qualify to be village elders. To me, this is extremely important. There are valued arguments that maybe one does not need a degree to be appointed a Cabinet Minister. But we cannot put it as “high school equivalent.” What is the point of committing ourselves, as a nation, to take our children to school, extol them to work very hard, but at the end of the day, they see Ministers without degrees. We are discouraging these children. It shows we are not committed to their education. We are not saying that the quality of people who elect hon. Members, who are exceptionally good, will remain the same. We need to be an adult and literate. So, if such persons can find their way to this House, they can still make their contribution just as I am trying to do mine. However, in order to be appointed a Cabinet Minister, you must have a degree, so that when you attend international conferences, on behalf of the Republic of Kenya, you can stand among other people in the whole world and people will know that this is Kenya talking."
}