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{
    "id": 229619,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/229619/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 49,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kamanda",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 221,
        "legal_name": "Maina Kamanda",
        "slug": "maina-kamanda"
    },
    "content": " Do not ask which one! You all know my party! We will try and see that the 30 per cent rule is observed. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I also want to thank the President for his stand on the issue of election of mayors. We all know that mayors in this country are not mayors of the local authorities they represent. They are mayors of the councillors in the respective local authorities. For years, it has been the councillors who dictate terms to the mayors, and not the people of the local authorities. Mr. Speaker, Sir, so, this will be the first time that people in this country will enjoy the freedom of electing their own mayors, just like in our neighbouring states of Uganda and Tanzania. This will also be one way of fighting corruption. As you know, in order for you to become a mayor, you need to loot a lot of money from the local authority you represent. Part of that money will have to go to the councillors. So, by giving powers to Kenyans to elect their own mayors and deputy mayors, our President is trying to make March 21, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 19 our local authorities corruption-free. The issue of corruption in local authorities will no longer be there. Mr. Speaker, Sir, nobody can say that for the last four years this Government has been in place it has not done much for the people. An example is Nairobi. The hon. Members of this House are my witnesses. If they move around Nairobi, they will confirm that there is improvement in terms of roads, street lighting and beautification, which was not there before. That is not just true for Nairobi but also for all other towns in the country. That is only part of this Government's electrification programme. Even those of us who live in Nairobi, for the first time, have seen the Ministry of Energy consider our slum areas. I saw the Kenya Power and Lighting Company workers the other day erecting electricity poles in Mathare. They are also moving to other areas like Kibera. All these efforts were not there previously. So, we need to support the President on all that he said yesterday, and the things he proposed to do, while delivering his Address to this House. All he said is the truth. So, we need to support our President. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as the Minister in charge of sports, I would like to say one or two things about sports. I have written to hon. Members, requesting them to join us in Mombasa to support and cheer our athletes. These are young boys and girls who have been cheered many times by Members of Parliaments in other countries. They are now in our country. They have brought fame to this country. They have brought about 65 countries into this country. We all need to be there. The event will take place on a weekend. So, I want to request hon. Members of this House to turn up. I do not think a cross-country event will be held at any other time when you are Members of Parliament. This is the 35th World Cross-Country. There are 200 countries. So, we cannot be in this House for another 100 years. So, it is better for hon. Members to come and be with us in Mombasa, because they will not see this event again. So, you had better come and see it live for the first time and, maybe, the last time as Members of Parliament. The accreditation will be done at Whitesands Hotel, Mombasa. We have forwarded all the names of Members of Parliament to Whitesands Hotel. Wherever one will be in Mombasa, one will just need to drive to Whitesands Hotel, where the Secretariat of the 35th World Cross-Country is located. I will be leaving tonight to make hon. Members' work easier, so that when they arrive in Mombasa, they do not have a problem in getting their badges. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}