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{
    "id": 566577,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/566577/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 301,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Aluoch",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 5,
        "legal_name": "John Olago Aluoch",
        "slug": "john-aluoch"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. Indeed, Hon. Kangongo referred to me as a living example of the dictatorship that can happen in political parties. I could say a lot about that if I had time, but I support this amendment. I support the amendment not because it is reducing the threshold, but because I believe it does not reduce the threshold. Instead, it intends to give effect to the Bill of Rights so that freedom of association and political parties funding can become as effective as possible. I want to refer very quickly to Article 20(5)(b) of the Constitution which says that:- “( b ) in allocating resources, the State shall give priority to ensuring the widest possible enjoyment of the right or fundamental freedom having regard to prevailing circumstances, including the vulnerability of particular groups or individuals” The right to associate cannot be taken away by political parties. I heard Hon. Kaluma say that this Bill tends to create small parties. With respect, I believe that Hon. Kaluma did not look at the particulars of this Bill because it has safeguards on what parties can qualify for funding. It is not just any party. So, it is not right to say that this is going to create very many small parties. Rather, it is going to create seriousness in parties. The fundamental part that we need to understand, as legislators, is that this Bill will remove dictatorship and personalizing of parties. Parties will be placed in the hands of as many people as possible. Politicians are not going to be at the mercy of those who “own” parties. If that happens, then even the issue of “jumping” or party hopping will be reduced in effect because many parties will be having access to political funds. The arrangement is what Hon. Nyamunga has referred to a little earlier on. In her view, we should take charge of some of those issues; that this Bill is trying to cure where coalitions come together and share political party’s funds. That will not work out. That is because in every coalition, there will be a dominant partner. The moment you have a dominant partner in the coalition, the smaller partners are going to be at the mercy of the bigger partner. It will not work. Maybe, at the Committee Stage, we may have to refine the Bill. But as it is, I support it."
}