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{
    "id": 518395,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/518395/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 292,
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    "content": "about what people went through, you will realize that they were fighting against giants who were well oiled. In the by-election of my leader here, a lot of money was poured, but the people rejected that type of leadership. If we go the way of having a system of Government where corruption determines how we elect our leaders, then people will be forced to look for quick money. There was already a well established system that after every election, you would do election returns and accounts. There was a supervisor who would check how much money is spent on petrol and so on. You were to provide receipts after the election, but when crooks came by, they said: “You cannot stop leaders from giving their people money.” Then it went haywire. Our generation of politicians, probably, is an endangered species. Prof. Anyang’-Nyong’o is here by the grace of God. When I see the creation of the new leadership, what they aspire and the way they show material things, I think Kenya is going on the wrong direction. But we will not allow it to get there so long as there are men and women in this Senate who are ready and willing to bring this kind of legislation. Although we are not stopping every fundraising, through this Bill, we will ensure that leadership, especially state officers and institutions, will not be used in a manner that the whole system will be corrupted. Those who are appointed to positions of authority will not be blackmailed and intimidated, so that the political leadership can survive in one way or another. I think those days will be gone, if we start with this type of legislation. I hope that both sides of the House, before we get to the Committee of the Whole, can sit down and look at what appropriate amendments can be made. We should deal with this issue in a bi-partisan way. What killed the initiative of the Koigi, when that special committee was established, is because people started associating the idea with him and he had always been seen as being anti-development but he was never anti- development. What he was against was using public office for corrupt purposes. So, I urge that we approach this issue in a bi-partisan way. Change and reform in this country is not really over, we still have got a long way to go. We must continue to be vigilant and that part of vigilance is to ensure that Chapter Six of the Constitution finds its proper place in our constitutional arrangement. For me, this Bill is a contribution towards enthroning that essential pillar. In fact, for me, the two main ideas that have made our new Constitution a transformative document is the Chapter on devolution and that on Leadership and Integrity. Even in the former constitution, we had a Bill of Rights and it is still important but on the issues of integrity, leadership and devolution, we still have a very long way to go. If the history of this country will be written in 10, 20, 40 years later, I think we will remember this Senate for passing this Bill as believers in Chapter Six of the Constitution. With those remarks, I beg to support."
}