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    "id": 390462,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/390462/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 227,
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    "content": "my political party would have more than Kshs500 million. This amount every year for the next four years would come to Kshs2 billion. It would be unimaginable for anyone to run away from URP five years down the line and leave assets and resources worth more than Kshs2 billion behind. That means that the members would be motivated to build the party; the party would be strong because it would have representation across the country. As we continue, we have the possibility of reducing the number of political parties in the country and, therefore, our democracy will grow. That is why I believe that when this money is shared to the various political parties in the manner it was anticipated in the Constitution and in the Political Parties Act, it becomes a benefit, not only to the parties that have formed the Government, but even to those that are checking the Government. We have said time and again that the Jubilee Government believes that we need a strong Opposition. I was even discussing this with a friend and I said that in areas where we think that Jubilee may not produce a candidate in the upcoming elections, we can support CORD so that their candidate can succeed to become a stronger Opposition. That is better than anyone imagining that we are here to stifle democracy and stifle political parties. What would be wrong if you support an ODM Governor in Siaya County and say that we are not fielding any candidate as URP and we want them to remain in Opposition so that it can become strong? In other words, I am trying to say that it is important for the political parties to remain strong and it is important that we have strong political parties. I have a dream that URP will have the necessary resources to invest in 47 offices in all the counties, 290 strong offices in all the constituencies and 1,450 offices in all the wards across the country. If we have those offices, then we can for sure say that even in the next five or ten years in places like Kisumu where we do not do well, we will be able to compete effectively. If we do not have offices, recruitment centres, computers, well remunerated staff and motivated volunteers, then we will not move. We need to ensure that we have the necessary resources. Madam Temporary Speaker, I have a dream that URP can have a strategic relationship with other republican parties all over the world so that we can exchange ideas and have a network. As the Constitution states, you may not receive financial support from foreign sources but you can have technical support. It is important for us to receive technical support from the Republican Party in the United States of America (USA) and it is also important for us to give them technical support because we also believe that we are not deficient in giving support to the so-called progressing democracies. That is why I appreciate this Motion and believe that the money should come in the quantities envisaged in the Constitution. I am a believer in political parties, democracy and good governance but for people to have faith in political parties, then we must allow democracy. I wish the Mover of the Motion was here. I would have suggested that time has come for Sen. (Prof.) Anyang’-Nyong’o to let go of being Secretary- General of that political party and bring up younger leaders like hon. Ken Obura and others, so that there is sufficient motivation in the membership of political parties to want to invest in them. There is a problem in this country because we have zoned ourselves in various regions through political parties. The other day, I was going to a region where we The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}