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{
    "id": 186997,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/186997/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 216,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Githae",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Local Government",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 159,
        "legal_name": "Robinson Njeru Githae",
        "slug": "robinson-githae"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to second this Motion on Political Parties Rules. I have read the rules and I am sure that all the hon. Members have also read them. I think they are very clear and specific. In addition, these rules were formulated by the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK). Then after that, they gave people an opportunity to look at them. So far, I think all the political parties have looked at them and they are in agreement. These rules must be seen in the context of the Political Parties Act which will now start regulating the formation, regulation and management of political parties. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it has always been a sad occasion when political parties, which are very important organs of Government, are regulated by the same Act - the Societies Act - that regulates burial and wedding committees. It is the same Act that is used to regulate political parties. But now, with the Political Parties Act, political parties now have their own legal regime, starting from registration, management and even their conduct. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I said, I have looked at these rules. The only rules that I had a problem with were Nos.9 and 25. Rule No.9 talks of district organizations of the party and the functions. I think this must be an error. I think the word \"district\" should be replaced with the word \"branch\" because it is up to the political party to decide whether a constituency is a branch or it wants to take into account the central Government districts. So, I think that should be left to the political parties, themselves, to decide. That is because quite a number of political parties have July 31, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2295 now made a constituency a branch. The same case also applies to Rule No.25, but I understand that due notice has been given for an amendment. Again, instead of the word \"district\" it should be \"branch\", so that we leave it to a political party to decide whether it wants to make a constituency a branch or the central Government branch. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, these rules are self-explanatory. They will make it very easy for political parties to govern themselves. All the requirements for registration are there. Even the forms are there. Even more, the rules give what the Articles of Association of a political party should contain. The order is given there. So, it will make it easy even when you want to compare the constitutions of all the political parties. There are certain objects that must be stated. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those remarks, I beg to second."
}