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{
    "id": 603440,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/603440/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 71,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Wakhungu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1889,
        "legal_name": "Chrisantus Wamalwa Wakhungu",
        "slug": "chrisantus-wamalwa-wakhungu"
    },
    "content": "Article 118 of the Constitution talks about public participation in legislation and that is why it is a requirement to involve the public. When a Bill is brought before the House, an advertisement is placed in the print media calling on stakeholders to come and give their input. Public participation is critical and it is everywhere. For us to facilitate public participation, the Access to Information Bill is very critical. It is supposed to have been there like yesterday. The other issue concerns roads. Governors say that roads belong to the Members of Parliament (MPs) and yet, they are the ones who are supposed to maintain them. Therefore, we need full disclosure of information as far as classification of roads is concerned. That way, Kenyans will know which roads belong to the MP, the county government and the national Government, in order to put in place issues of social accountability. This will also help us know who is responsible for what. We are happy that devolution came to decentralize resources. Unfortunately, we are also devolving corruption. It is important that full disclosure must be there. The issue of budgets is very critical at the counties level. When you want to understand the budget at that level, you do not find it. The law must be put in place and there must be a requirement for full disclosure of issues of county budgets. There are issues of the Finance Bills which are passed in this House so that counties and the Government can raise funds. They are important matters of taxation which must be disclosed. We have unscrupulous business people or agents outside there who masquerade as tax collectors. They collect more because of the ignorance of Kenyans. For us to eliminate ignorance, information has to be there. I raised the issue about the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) when we came to this House. It did not give full information on the number of votes the President garnered. That is inaccessibility to information. When the IEBC Chair was called to take an oath, he said he could not take it because it was during the month of Ramadhan. That was a shame. Countries like Rwanda and South Sudan have already put such a law in place. Why are we lagging behind as a country Kenya? For us to have democracy and proper accountability, access to information is very critical. We have had problems with Form One selection after the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination results are released. We see the Cabinet Secretary coming up with all form of regulations which a student from the village cannot even understand. When it comes to selection of professional courses, particularly at the universities, many students who get straight As are not selected to pursue their courses of choice. We want full disclosure of information so that we can know if some regions are marginalised as far as the selection of courses is concerned. I get shocked when I go to the village. A poor boy got a straight “A” and he is told he is going to study a degree called “being around”. It becomes a problem to get a job after graduation. You will find that somebody who has scored less---."
}