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{
"id": 253927,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/253927/?format=api",
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"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"
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"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, we can only check on each other if we agree to declare our wealth. I am inviting Kenyans to be vigilant and see whether we will rise to our duty and to agree to be open to scrutiny. Otherwise, why do we want our colleagues, civil servants and businessmen scrutinised, when we do not want to be scrutinised ourselves? Let us agree to be scrutinised. Mr. Speaker, Sir, all we want is our money back. Luckily, the law we passed--- At least, we have passed a few Bills in the last three years. It is not a total zero score. It may be 0.1 per cent, but we have some score. We have passed the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Bill. That Bill introduces something noble. Previously, pre-bargaining was only available in murder cases. It is not written in black and white as pre-bargaining. But I can assure you that, if you look at that Bill, the law looks very kindly to people who co-operate. Why can we not encourage those we know have queries, either in PAC, Public Investments Committee (PIC), Ndung'u Land Report, Goldenberg and any other scandal, to quietly approach the investigating officers. All we want is our money back. That is why I am saying that, it can take us a long or short time. But the message is clear. Kenyans have become very inquisitive. Parliament has become terribly inquisitive. In my 14 years in Parliament, this Parliament is most inquisitive. It may be irritating a little to those of us in Government, but it is necessary. How else can the checks and balances be observed? You can run, but you cannot hide. If you are able to avoid it now, someone will raise it tomorrow. Why not settle it now? Do not leave to your family what they may believe is riches, when all you are leaving to them are cases. Settle it now and let your children, who may have nothing to do with it, live in peace after we are gone. All of us are on a journey. We are asking for everybody's co-operation. We are asking that we rise up together. Our nation is very blessed with abundance of natural resources and a tax base. If we completely implement the taxation measures proposed by this Government, we could easily get a trillion! We are now at over Kshs300 billion. As lawmakers, let us encourage people to pay taxes. April 6, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 439 Let us also encourage efficiency. I do not want to mention about issues in court, but reforms are about efficiency. When you have an electronic tax register, it means you cannot erase. When the tax man comes, he is able to check how much you forwarded to him. Time has come when we must identify a minimum agenda for bi-partisan support. If we do not do that, we may not go far. I am here, for instance, in my capacity as the Member for Gichugu. I will be asking for more CDF allocation. But where will that money come from if we are not going to encourage people to be responsible and pay taxes? Where will it come from if we are not going to encourage those who have looted money to return it so that it may build our country? Mr. Speaker, Sir, I appreciate the ruling of the Chair in this matter, that although the Public Accounts Committee, by virtue of Standing Order No.147 should commence its work when a report is laid, these are exceptional times needing exceptional measures. I am, therefore, asking Parliament to adopt that reasoning of the Speaker. Let us rise up and take exceptional steps to redeem our country."
}