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{
    "id": 307381,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/307381/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 424,
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    "content": "should not try to spread and distribute prosecutorial powers to other bodies. We attempted to do it with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and now we want to give it to the NIS. By the end of the day, everybody, including Commissions, will demand for prosecutorial powers. What then will be the role of the DPP? Even Parliament will start prosecuting. I know the Ugandan Parliament is arresting like the police and prosecuting. We need to be careful and respect institutions that we have established and allow them to perform their constitutional mandate. I am even concerned that the Civil Society, which has really criticized The Leaders and Integrity Bill, has not come out to condemn provisions in the National Intelligence Service Bill, which is taking away a lot of gains in the Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is one of those articles in the Constitution which for you to even change or amend, you require a referendum. You find that Clause 60 of this Bill says that:- “Any person who not being a member of the Service obtains, attempts to obtain or is found in possession of classified information, documents or records without the approval of the Director-General or without lawful authority or excuse, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years”. Just recently, we have some documents - we call them dossiers in Parliament - about the Kenya Airports Authority. The moment we pass this Bill, the NIS can just claim that we have information which we are not authorized to have and we will be dragged to courts and to jail for seven years. Is that what we want for this country? A lot in this Bill needs to be checked carefully. I notice that the NIS, through this Bill, is trying to give itself many powers. We know they need powers to operate, but they cannot take powers which belong to the people of Kenya. We know that they are the ones who gather information. Again, trying to bring conflicts in this country by engineering propaganda about other individuals is not right. So, the National Intelligence Service is not supposed to get involved in politics. We do not want to hear about the NIS funding certain presidential candidates because that is abuse of office. I think the NIS should be warned that we will not give them a one-line budget. They want us to give them a one-line budget so that they do not account for the money that they give politicians and the money that they use to monitor us around when we are saying nothing. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those very many remarks, I want to support this Bill but there will be a number of amendments, some from my Committee and probably from me."
}