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"id": 34927,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/34927/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kiunjuri",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Public Works",
"speaker": {
"id": 175,
"legal_name": "Festus Mwangi Kiunjuri",
"slug": "mwangi-kiunjuri"
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"content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when it comes to resignation, Clause 14(4) is very clear. It states that:- “A person shall not be a member of more than one political party at the same time”. Then 5(e) states that it is an offence for a member to promote the ideology, interests or policies of another political party and in (f), or even campaigns for another political party or a candidate of another political party. Today, you hear some of us saying that it is wrong for you to support so-and-so, but I want to go and campaign for so-and-so. It should be very clear that it is criminal to do that. This country has even a law that deals with the issue of creating disturbances and being a nuisance to the public. Those members who want to challenge their own parties cause havoc, wreck the parties and also cause disturbance within the parties. They are a nuisance. The law is very clear that this should receive instant justice. When these disputes arise and a Member of Parliament has ceased to belong to that party, they should leave. That is honesty. He should do exactly that. When a political party complains, the Registrar must take action immediately. We should even have a time limit within which to do so, so that next time, we do not elect candidates based on individuals. We should have parties that we respect so that tomorrow, those who join my party will not join the party as Mwangi Kiunjuri’s party, but as a party that they believe in. That way, we can avoid that clash. It will be criminal to challenge your party from within. It will be a serious offence and, therefore, it will require serious action. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, Clause 15 is on rights and privileges of political parties. It is important that we define this rule clearly. Parties must be respected. It is no longer the police who are dictating to the parties as to who should hold public rallies. At the same time, we should avoid instances where one political party decides to book all the grounds in Nairobi from Uhuru Park, Kamkunji and everywhere, so that the other parties will not have anywhere to conduct their affairs. This should be criminalized and penalties must be instituted. We should not have a situation whereby the governor will also be consulted or any other municipal board, to issue licences and where it favours me, I will issue a licence to the party that is friendly to me. The law must be very clear on this. We want sanity. Let us develop. If you want to develop, it is not only the Vision 2030. You should develop your mind politically and everything else, so that we can have a proud nation. We cannot do the same things that our grandfathers did. We should grow up in these issues. Therefore, we should have parties that are not restricted by the Government. That is what we fought for 20 years ago. On the issue of dispute resolution, I am very happy that for the first time, the Bill is very clear that within three months, an issue must be determined. Equally, when we go to the High Court, which is only supposed to look at the points of law and facts, it should also be limited, so that a rogue judge somewhere who is affiliated in a way to a political party will be there forever determining issues in three months. With those few remarks, it is important that we have discipline. I support this Bill."
}