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{
    "id": 241645,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/241645/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 258,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. M. Kilonzo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 47,
        "legal_name": "Mutula Kilonzo",
        "slug": "mutula-kilonzo"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, allow me to go to the issue of drugs. I welcome this amendment because for the first time now, this country is now a destination for drugs. I welcome that amendment and I hope that this House will pass it. However, I want to discuss the issue of the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) under the Physical Planners Registration Act, 1996. This amendment is unwarranted. We should not allow it because they are sneaking in something for personal benefit and for issues that have nothing to do with the AAK. The Act refers to the AAK and we are being asked to amend that to be the Kenya Institute of Planners, something which has no legislative mechanism. Therefore, we should not allow that amendment to go through. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with regard to the Auctioneers Act, a similar attempt is being made to sneak in amendments, which we cannot accept. The Attorney-General has not explained to us why he is reducing the number of nominees of the body from nine to four. To make matters worse, my information has it that in 2003, the Chief Justice even declined to nominate the ones who were there. Perhaps, that is the reason why this amendment is being brought. We want the number of nominees of the registered associations to the board to remain nine. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on the issue of patent, you will see that the Attorney- General is proposing that as long as a patent has been brought by the owner of the patent or with July 20, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2277 his express consent, then it should be accepted. But in Kenya, you would never know whether that consent has been given or not. We are being shown the Artur brothers and their shenanigans in Kenya. They can even sneak into the Attorney-General's office and get a registration of a company using forged certificates. What would be easier for the Artur brothers than to come here and say that they have the consent of a manufacturer, therefore, the item should be marketed in Kenya? Therefore, I would like the House to look at this issue and reject the amendment. The other issue I would like to address is Section 83 on utilities. This country will never have innovations as long as you protect the interest of the manufacturers to the extent that the Attorney-General is proposing. He is saying that a registration certificate for a utility model shall expire at the end of the tenth year. Why ten years? Other countries use seven years. When models are accepted in the country, after seven years, we should allow the transfer of technology so that other people in Kenya who think that they can copy the model can do so. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) worries me a great deal. The reason it worries me is because it has become an elephant in a China shop. This is an institution that was established with a lot of goodwill from this country's donors and development partners. Its purpose was to eliminate corruption. But all that it keeps on asking for is an enlargement of its mandate. Why has it not taken anybody to court for the first time through the Attorney-General and got a conviction? The reason is that KACC itself has become a captive of the corruption that it was intended to eliminate."
}