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{
    "id": 517299,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/517299/?format=api",
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    "content": "well aware that for many years when we sat in Opposition Benches, one of our agenda was strategizing how we would remove the burden of harambee from the backs of our people. Those days, it was not a joking matter. We remember the harambees were compulsory during the one party days, especially when some people had to take some money to Kabarak, the wananchi were really harassed by chiefs, their chicken taken and sold by force so that they could donate “generously”. However, it is only a quarter or less of that money which went to those harambees. The harambees made the chiefs rich. That is why when we went into Government in 2003 and I was appointed the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the first thing I did was to appoint a task force on harambees. That task force was headed by the then Member of Parliament (MP) for Subukia which was Nakuru North constituency, Mheshimiwa Koigi Wamwere and other luminaries like Rev. (Dr.) Timothy Njoya. They went round this country, taking the views of wananchi, the common people about what they think about harambeees and what should be done. It became very clear from that report. The report is available and I do not know whether this Committee looked at it. What came out was that this harambee movement was not really genuinely helping our people. It was forced generosity by politicians who were out to manipulate the people. The harambee was a game of the rich and the elite. If you hear people are contributing money to take a student to India or a patient to India, it is not the poor peasant in the village who is being taken to India. Those ones die here at KNH or at the local hospital in Migori or other places. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, if it is you, we shall all gang up to take you to India. However, that poor voter in the county, even if he calls many harambees, they will never raise enough money to buy an air ticket. Even when we have harambee for taking students to the United States of America (USA) and other overseas universities, it is never the peasant’s child for whom we are doing the harambee. It is the harambee for the local chief, former MP, or for the chairman of the old county council. It is the local elites whom we are supporting through this movement to continue doing better. From the analysis of that report, harambee was never really genuinely for the poor; it was a game of the rich and the powerful. This is not to say that there is no need for harambee; there are ways of structured philanthropy, we have charities for instance in United Kingdom (UK) where you contribute little amounts of money, but when it is pooled together, it is a lot of money and used in a targeted manner, it can be used to transform society or support courses. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, a group like Amnesty International is funded by very small contributions like GB£1 or GB£10. In the end, it is a big international movement with a lot of money. Oxfam also relies on contributions from small donors, but they have an impact; addressing issues of human rights and social justice in the world. So, the time has come for us to rethink how we can organize philanthropy in this country in a manner that can help our people. I know the soft spot that we have in all this is. If one is heard to be talking against harambees, you are made to look heartless and cruel; it is as if you want people to die. That is not really the case. What we should be thinking about is; what system can 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."
}