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{
    "id": 1398632,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398632/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 282,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 170,
        "legal_name": "Bonny Khalwale",
        "slug": "bonny-khalwale"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I rise to second the Conflict of Interest Bill (National Assembly Bills No.12 of 2023) as moved. I will be very brief. I take this House down memory lane. This is not the first time that the matter of conflict of interest is coming before Parliament. In 1971, after the death of Tom Mboya, Prof. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o wrote in his book that he went to Singapore and asked the leadership why Kenya and Uganda were lagging behind when actually they had started on the same footing as Singapore. The President quickly told him that they chose the path of prosperity while we chose to kill Mboya. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, Mboya was very clear in his mind that it is an open secret that proximity to Government and especially higher office in Parliament, is a way to create great wealth. With this realisation, Mboya went and President Kenyatta formed the Ndegwa Commission. Ndegwa was the then the Chairman of the Central Bank of Kenya, a highly respected banker. Ndegwa, upon interviewing many parastatals, including, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and others, then allowed public servants to own property and participate in business with public entities. That is when the rain started beating. The Ndegwa Commission recommendations allowed civil servants to then participate in doing business with public entities. That was the beginning of a real conflict of interest and the rest is history. Therefore, it is not a surprise to those who bother to fight for this country that some of the richest families in this country are unfortunately, the same families that have enjoyed the opportunity to lead the country at the highest level. I, therefore, support this Bill because it now wants to categorically legislate on the sensitive issue of conflict of interest. The object is to provide for management and regulation of conflict of interest in the discharge of official duties. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, as the Mover of the Bill has told us, this aims to prevent officials from using positions of power for personal gain. It is very difficult. This is the real meaning of Chapter Six on integrity and leadership. People in high office dole out special favors to interest groups, members of their families, people they share membership to clubs with, fellow alumni and in the process, the weak lose out. It played out in this House two weeks ago when a little boy had to sell his business worth Kshs800,000 to access opportunity. This is what this Bill is all about; conflict of interest. I, therefore, join the Senate Majority Leader in urging colleagues that we pass this law, so that we move yet again a step closer to realising the meaning of Chapter Six of our Constitution on leadership and integrity. I beg to second."
}