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{
    "id": 225873,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/225873/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 366,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ms. Karua",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 166,
        "legal_name": "Martha Wangari Karua",
        "slug": "martha-karua"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that the Political Parties Bill be now read a Second Time. This is a Bill that seeks to provide a framework for the registration, regulation and funding of political parties. As you are aware, currently political parties are registered under the Societies Act. This mode of registration has been found to be inadequate for the regulation of political parties. It is, therefore, necessary that we get a law that is specifically for political parties, and that provides not only for the registration and regulation but also for matters incidental thereto. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to state at the very outset that this Bill has been developed over many years with stakeholders. This is a journey that began during the last Parliament, and it is actually a pity that we are now going to debate the Bill at the tail-end of this Parliament. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is agreed generally by all the stakeholders that we need more than ever before to streamline our political parties, and our conduct as politicians in order to nurture democracy. The various sides of the House have had their share of complaints on how we operate as political parties. This is a Bill that is intended to cure all the maladies. In this Bill, a political party is described as \"any association or organisation of persons which has, for its objects or purposes, or one of more of its objects or purposes, the proposing or supporting of candidates for national assembly or local authority elections, with a view to forming or influencing the formation of the Government of Kenya or any local authority within Kenya\". So, the description of a political party literally gives the objective of that party's existence, that is to accede to power, whether in a local authority or in a Government. Therefore, it is quite clear that this definition would not fit briefcase parties, parties that are formed solely for purposes other than being able to take over Government. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, one of the salient features of the Political Parties Bill is provision for the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, an office with operational independence, but housed at the Electoral Commission of Kenya. Many have wondered how an independent body can have an independent office. But we are talking about operational autonomy here, just as today the Registrar of Societies operates autonomously under a constitutional office, the office of the Attorney-General. Since political parties are formed for purposes of capturing power through elections, their best home would not be the office of the Attorney-General, but that of the Electoral Commission of Kenya. Among the things that this Bill provides for---"
}