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{
    "id": 568523,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/568523/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 168,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. S. S. Ahmed",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 140,
        "legal_name": "Ahmed Shakeel Shabbir Ahmed",
        "slug": "shakeel-shabbir"
    },
    "content": "There are many of us who have signed up. APNAC is our own body and we want to be beyond reproach as Members of Parliament. We have set up our own code of ethics and procedures. Unfortunately it had died and we are trying to get it back on track. We have nearly 30 members. I plead with all that it will be great to have over 300 members, so that we can lead in fighting corruption. As the Chairman of APNAC we have discussed many times the issue of how we can start talking about corruption from within Parliament. There are many things that we have tried. As parliamentarians, we all know that we have to be beyond reproach. This biometric system that is here is one of the fruits of all Parliamentarians showing by deed to the Press, who keep telling us that we sign in and we are not in, that this is the way that we have dealt with that challenge. Corruption is a major issue in Kenya. One of the aims of APNAC is to keep this fight alive from within Parliament. We would like to continue that way. We have a problem with the issue of recognition. Fighting corruption needs to be coordinated. Unfortunately, there is a steering committee on corruption. There is the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Department of Justice and others. All are key in fighting corruption, but all do it independently. Sometimes when we go to a place like the United Nations (UN) where there is the convention against corruption, we find that we talk differently. Yet when you put us separate we see that we have done a great deal of work in the fight against corruption. Kenya is ranked as one of the most corrupt countries. But it is one of those countries that are doing quite a lot to fight corruption. Yes, we have been conveniently ranked by somebody somewhere. I would like to second that amendment on the EACC Bill before us. Commissioners are not the problem but the implementation. The secretariat is not the problem. It is the communication between the two and the understanding as to whether they talk on the same page. In the 10th Parliament, we discussed the issue of the then Chair and the issue came up as to passion. There was this term that we came up with called “passion meter”. We wondered whether somebody had the passion to fight corruption. We were told that, that does not matter but in the end it did matter. As my dear friend, Hon. Jakoyo, has said, we need people of class. People who are beyond reproach to be commissioners. In religion, we know that the Pope and the archbishop are beyond reproach. So, there are a number of Kenyans here who will have nothing to lose, as long as you allow them to be on a part-time basis, and they will lead the fight against corruption. The President showed in March and earlier by action that he had had enough of corruption. We are very proud that we have a President who does not need any money. He is wealthy enough in his own right. So, do not go and get involved in corruption issues. He has said very clearly that people must step aside and be cleared and that is a good start. We have been to the United Kingdom (UK) and a number of other countries in the world, and a much as we---The President has stated his stand openly and brought a list of corrupt people. As a Chief Executive, he has a number of things to do. It is our job as Parliamentarians to join hands and make sure that we continue the fight against corruption from Parliament and not only when it comes to commissions and bribery. This morning we were in a committee looking at one of the Cabinet Secretaries (CSs), who has been very topical. I was so proud that she was able to put her case very clearly. She said: “Listen, we have found something in the system and that does not mean that we are corrupt. It just means that the system is working. So do not kill the system. We have found the problem The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}