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{
    "id": 225185,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/225185/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 247,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Muturi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 215,
        "legal_name": "Justin Bedan Njoka Muturi",
        "slug": "justin-muturi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to say one or two words about this very important Bill. Like the previous speakers, I fully support this Bill. But, like others, I will also be proposing some amendments because some of the provisions are not quite clear. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, going straight to the definition section, that will require an amendment. In Part I, there is a paragraph which reads:- \"public officer\" means a person in the service of/or holding office under the Government of Kenya, whether that service or office is permanent or temporary, or paid or unpaid.\" Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, under the Public Officer Ethics Act, which we passed, we also defined hon. Members of Parliament as public officers. Therefore, I think there is need to 818 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 19, 2007 harmonise the provisions of this Bill with what is contained in the Public Officer Ethics Act. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also take issue with the fact that, we merely provide that there will be established the Political Parties Fund (PPF). The source of funding for that is stated in Clause 22(1a). It reads:- 22(I) The sources of the Fund are- (a) such funds as may be provided by the Minister of Finance in the annual estimates; and, (b) contributions and donations to the Fund from any other source.\" I want to be a bit careful here. If the Minister for Finance does not provide, because we are just using the permissible word \"may\" -and we know right now we have an interesting one, very roguish!--- If he does not make any provisions in the Annual Estimates, political parties which expected funding of whatever levels, in any given period, will not have any money. Therefore, we will go back to the situation which we are trying to rectify now, by the enactment of this Bill. Therefore, it is important that we specify the Minister for Finance \"shall\" provide in the Annual Estimates, funds in a specific quantum, just like the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) and the Local Authorities Transfer Fund (LATF). It is important that we specify in this Bill, how much of the national income the Ministry of Finance will allocate to the Political Parties Fund (PPF). We should not leave it to the discretion of the Minister for Finance. If we do not do that, he may provide Kshs100 million this year and Kshs1 billion next year as he pleases! That way, we will destabilize political parties at will. Therefore, I will be proposing to the Minister that we need to look at that. It is healthy that we provide a specific percentage of the national income to fund political parties. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is also the issue of a political party obtaining 5 per cent of the national vote. I am one person who believes that we should have some thresholds, to avoid situations where briefcase carriers would hover around the streets of the city and other urban areas in the countryside, pretending to be party leaders or owners of political parties. The parties must attain some threshold to qualify for funding from the national kitty. They can only be de-registered if they do not garner 5 per cent for a period of ten years. We run the risk of fellows running around with briefcases for ten years pretending to be owners of political parties and receiving public funding, especially the 25 per cent that is provided for! I support the idea of a certain threshold. The only question that I would add is this: If a party, even after those ten years, has got hon. Members of Parliament like Mr. Kagwima and Mr. Gitau who belong to parties such as Sisi kwaNyinyi and others - those fringe parties--- If they are hon. Members of Parliament and for ten years, they do not garner---"
}