Entry Instance

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{
    "id": 307342,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/307342/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 385,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kiptanui",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 52,
        "legal_name": "Jackson Kiplagat Kiptanui",
        "slug": "jackson-kiptanui"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker. I would like to support this Bill and in doing so, I wish to say that because of what has happened in the past, we need to thank the spy agency. I am one of the people who believe that they have done some good work. The failure has been on the Government. I believe that in 2007 and the years before, we used to have quite a number of tribal clashes in our country, I believe the spy agencies were able to gather the information and transmit it to the relevant authorities. But this Government failed to act. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I also believe that in 2007, the spy agency was aware of who won the elections and if they were stolen, they were aware and they know. I also believe that because we have intelligence officers across the country, they can even now predict who will be the next president of this country. I want to believe that we need to empower the spy agency to be able to do its work well. I have seen a section in this Bill which ensures that the spy agency operates within the law. We have put some checks and balances which, at the end of the day, I believe the spy agency will serve this country and the people of this country well. One, the Director General (DG) will be under the watch of the NIS Council headed by the Cabinet Secretary and in forming the Council, if you check at Clause 65(1), it says:- “There is established a Council to be known as the National Intelligence Service Council which shall consist of – (a) The Cabinet Secretary, who shall be the chairperson; (b) The Cabinet Secretary for the time being responsible for matters relating to foreign affairs; (c) The Cabinet Secretary for the time being responsible for matters relating to finance; (d) The Attorney-General; and (e) The Director-General.” Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, as we talk here currently, if we mention the names of those five people, I believe three come from one region. I want to believe that in future, we need to come up with a system whereby this Council is composed of Kenyans who represent the national diversity in this country. Secondly, the danger we have with this Bill is that if we give powers to the spy agency to arrest and detain suspects, I want to believe that, that will be conflicting with the role being played by the police. I believe we should give the spy agency its responsibilities and leave the powers to arrest and detain to the Kenya Police. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I support that we need to arm the spy agency. But the challenge is that as we talk here today, you cannot tell who is a spy and who is not, because they are not armed. I believe we could even be having some spy agents within. But once we arm them, it will be very easy for anyone to notice the spy agents. I think we need to come up with a way of also safeguarding their interest because the spy"
}