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{
    "id": 620230,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/620230/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 391,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "February 17, 2016 SENATE DEBATES 49 Sen. (Prof.) Lonyangapuo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I want to thank my brother, Sen. Wetangula, because what he has said is the truth. That is how low things have sunk in the counties. One notorious leader in that direction is the Governor of Murang’a. His photographs and names are all over. Very soon, you may see the photographs of his wife and children next to his on the billboards. His name appears even on latrines that have been built in schools using public funds. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, innocent governors like mine are now beginning to learn that they can issue cheques that are meant for bursary and announce that it is their personal contribution of, for example, Kshs500,000 or even Kshs1 million. Innocent people collect water, sand and stones in the name of that man and when it is ready; they print posters with his face and name. How sad it is that we are heading to that direction. It is important that this law comes into effect so that every county and particularly assemblies will be given this Bill to effect and customize it so that we bring decency and order. I saw the Governor for Nandi County has graduated from the billboards; he is now advertising himself on the television (TV) for everyone to see him. Advertisements are all over in the newspapers. If you opened today’s papers you must have seen a number of them doing that. For instance, if they advertised some issues on Kisii County, you will see a picture of the Senator squeezed at one corner while four pages are dedicated to the governor and his team. We did not even know some of the County Executive Committee (CEC) members existed, but they have now matured to elevate and parade their names everywhere. The amount of money wasted is huge. It seems that some of them have companies that deal with the advertisements. That is why you see that only photographs of one individual appear everywhere. This has to come to a stop. We cannot continue like this any longer. Suppose the President of the Republic of Kenya was doing that, and that his photograph had to appear even on water bottles from manufacturing companies, what would have happened? This is what is happening in the counties and it is so sad. The ethics of advertisement must be followed. I agree with the Members who spoke before me that when it comes to penalties and exercising of penalties set, we should give rates that are reasonable so that we do not end up doing what was done before; that when somebody has stolen an egg, they are jailed for two years or a fine of Kshs10,000 yet that person can be utilized for manual labour for one day or a few hours to pay back what he stole. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, looking at this Bill, I am happy that Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. has brought it to the House. Any suggestions that are there should be brought forward to make it better because it will add a lot of value. I am happy that we, as the Senate, are generating these laws. My worry is that a lot of the Bills that we have generated here have not seen the light of day because our colleagues in the “lower” House have detained and disabled these Bills from going forward. Because of the crucial nature of such Bills, this is one of those pieces of legislation that should not have any issues whatsoever. Our colleagues in the National Assembly should work on it so that it can be forwarded for assent so that we remedy and rescue the situation. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes"
}