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{
    "id": 224567,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/224567/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 178,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Prof. Olweny",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 122,
        "legal_name": "Patrick Ayiecho Olweny",
        "slug": "patrick-olweny"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have over 80 parties in this country. When this Bill becomes law, the Registrar of Political Parties may decide that some of these political parties fall in the mentioned categories and decide to deregister them. That is what I am trying to say. Clause 7 talks about public officers. However, even elected leaders in this country are public officers. Members of Parliament and councillors are also public officers, unless we make it very specific as to who a public officer is. So, that is something which needs to be addressed. Subclause (c) of Clause 7 seeks to deny Kenyans serving in the public service their right to participate in political decision-making. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, at this point in time, Kenyans have matured enough. Let us allow civil servants to join political parties. They are not going to overturn anybody's Government. Why should we restrict Kenyans to an extent that they should not even make known their feelings about political decisions? As a country, we have passed the stage of banning Kenyans from making political statements. Some Members of Parliament are in this House because they were \"kicked\" out of public institutions, including universities, because they made their ideas known. As a country, we have gone beyond that point. Clause 9(3) provides that a person shall not be a member of two or more political parties at the same time. That is the biggest problem in this country today. So many people would be out of the business of being politicians if we were to adopt that clause. What I am trying to suggest is that we should find a way of creating room for coalition parties. Even the ruling party, NARC, is actually a coalition of parties. The ODM(K) which is becoming stronger every day, is also a conglomerate of parties. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, Even the so-called Government of National Unity is comprised of people from all kinds of parties. It is composed of hon. Members from different parties."
}