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{
    "id": 580035,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/580035/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 166,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Njuki",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1372,
        "legal_name": "Onesmus Muthomi Njuki",
        "slug": "onesmus-muthomi-njuki"
    },
    "content": "this city, including at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) and Harambee Plaza. We also have premises away from this city, where Members of Parliament operate from. Every Member of Parliament has two offices, one in the constituency and another in Nairobi. Sometimes, we transact business that is of the nature that is within our duties provided by the law in our offices in the constituencies. Therefore, we should consider them during the amendments stage and see whether the constituency offices can also be included as forming part of the precincts of Parliament. Members transact parliamentary business in those offices. We also have employees paid by the Parliamentary Service Commission (PARLSCOM) in those offices. However, as much as we may not be putting them in the same payroll as the staff here, they are within the description of members of staff of Parliament. Secondly, I have looked at the fines provided in Clause 35. There is the option of Kshs500,000 fine or a two-year imprisonment as the maximum sentence. This can be misused by a rogue judge in a case of a small matter which may have been misunderstood. We do not have separate laws for a small thief and a big thief. Any thief is treated equally before the law. Somebody can get the maximum of two years’ sentence or Kshs500,000 fine for a small offence that may have been said in a committee or in the premises of Parliament. Therefore, we should look at these fines and see whether they are adequate or punitive for a Member. Lastly, Clause 30 protects the Members of Parliament when they are conducting their duties against being harassed by members of the public. However, the clause does not say anything about members of the public that we interact with. I sit in two Committees and I want to give a very specific incident. I do not want to say in which Committee I was sitting. At one time, Paul Kamlesh Pattni appeared in one of the Committees. There was a Member who was very arrogant to him and he was saved by the Chairperson of the Committee. It looked personal. I could see that the members of the Committee were getting a bit uncomfortable with the whole scene. It was like this member had had a grudge with Kamlesh Pattni out there. There was no way Kamlesh Pattni was protected by our privileges in the way he was being treated except, maybe, at the mercy of the Chairperson. We can bring some amendments to ensure that Members of Parliament do not abuse these privileges by going overboard in dealing with the public. With those few remarks, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill. Thank you."
}