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{
    "id": 63668,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/63668/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 287,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Joho",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 30,
        "legal_name": "Hassan Ali Joho",
        "slug": "hassan-joho"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I would like to seek two clarifications. I had an opportunity to look at the Report tabled by the Minister. If you look at page 12 of this Report, at the end of it, it says that the police conducted thorough investigations and interviewed several people. At the end of the Report, with regard to me, it says that none of the witnesses interviewed had linked me to drug trafficking. So, clearly, the police found no evidence against me. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to tell the Minister - and I have said this before - that we have families. I had an incident where my 13 year old daughter was engaged in a physical fight with another child because she was told that her father is a drug trafficker. That is a very serious allegation. On 22nd December, 2010, when the Minister stood here to speak, he mentioned four names of Members of Parliament and one of a prominent businessman. I also had an opportunity to look at the so-called dossier by the US Ambassador. One of the issues that got me concerned was the following: He said that Ali Punjani was a suspect among the four MPs. In the dossier, it is said that Ali Punjani is an agent of an Israeli Company called Amiran. My Question to the Minister is this: How can it be that a principal is not a suspect but an agent? The work of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is to simply collect revenue and ensure that Kenyans are compliant when it comes to tax collection. How can the Minister say that this is an interim Report and that he is waiting for the taxman to say whether hon. Joho or hon. Mwau pay tax? Mr. Speaker, Sir, we know there is technology in this country. I know that if I walked into the KRA offices today and gave them my Personal Identification Number (PIN), they would tell me whether I am tax complaint or not. This is sad. There is no point for me, or any other person in this House, to be called an hon. Member. We have no business being here if we have already been labeled criminals. Drug trafficking is a very serious offence. Through it, people lose lives. I had an opportunity to visit some people who are suffering from withdrawal symptoms. I have seen how much they suffer. I want to plead and urge the Minister - and he has been a victim before, to serve this country the way it deserves to be served."
}