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{
    "id": 1496941,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496941/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 163,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "“The Cabinet Secretary shall not, later than three months, at the end of each financial year, prepare and submit for tabling before Parliament a report containing information including a comprehensive statement of the purpose of the appeals.” This is asking the Cabinet Secretary to come to this House to tell us about all the applications for appeals or fundraising; one was about school fees, another was about an expectant mother who was unable to pay her bills in the hospital, and the third was about a school-going child who needed to go abroad. It cannot be one of the things that we would want the law to provide for. Similarly, the CECM is expected to do the same thing, and such a provision is what I would call over-legislation. We do not need this. I propose that this clause be deleted, even if we are desiring to legislate and regulate fundraising. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, Clause 7 provides for the role of the CECM in terms of submitting annual reports to the County Assembly. In this case, the same concerns and the same requirements that they are supposed to do are not among those things that we should burden the office of the CECM with in order to engage in submitting such reports before the Assembly every financial year. Clause 11 provides for exemptions to this regulation. I am glad that the Bill itself has provided for instances where no regulation will be required. First of all, this is where we are looking at other statutes, including betting, lotteries, and the Gaming Act, that provide for instances where a member of the public, a player, or an agent is entitled to solicit funds. Clause (11)(b) states that – “Money or property collected by or under the authority of a recognised representative of a religious association registered under the Socialist Act for normal collections such as tithes and offerings or the purpose of carrying out developments or projects for the benefit of the association.” This is one of those critical support bases that fundraisings help our churches. A good number of us represent local churches in our various areas of representation. No church can develop and build itself without the support of members of the public and members of that church. In fact, they do what they normally call merry-go-rounds. We fundraise for church A today and church B tomorrow. We do the third church and the merry-go-round, and the process goes on and on until all the churches have developed their infrastructure to deliver service to their people. This exemption is important. I know most of the churches back where we come from struggle to construct even the smallest of the structures without Harambees and the support of the members. This provision is critical, and I support such an introduction of the exemption to the construction of churches and those under other statutes provided. Under the provisions of Clause 12(3), an individual who seeks to fundraise is required to make an application to the Cabinet Secretary or the respective CECM to be registered as an entity for purposes of fundraising. I have a problem with this. We need to regulate, but we leave it open for the people who are in need at that particular time to apply for that permit or license to conduct fundraising. It is not proper to create an entity whose business will be to be the one getting the licenses and undertaking public collection. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}