Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 648642,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/648642/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 368,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Mulu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1955,
        "legal_name": "Benson Makali Mulu",
        "slug": "benson-makali-mulu"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I rise to support the mediated version of the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill. If you look at the agreed amendments, you will find that this Bill is going to help this country get parties which reflect a national outlook. At the same time, if you look at what we had passed as the National Assembly, you will find that this makes it a bit complicated for the smaller parties to qualify for this funding. The fact that we have moved the percentage from 5 per cent of the total votes to 3 per cent is good for the country. The requirement that these four items must be met: 20 elected Members of National Assembly, three elected Members of the Senate, three elected governors and 40 Members of the county assembly, will not be easy to meet for most of the parties. I see a situation where the number of parties which are going to benefit will still remain very low more so in a situation where we have coalition governments. The earlier issue I had raised about accountability is that we are likely to live with that issue for a long time. For example, currently under the CORD Coalition, there is internal arrangement between the coalition parties where, internally, the money is shared but in terms of accountability, it is left with ODM. That is not going to be very good for the dominant parties because they will be held responsible in terms of accounting responsibilities for other parties. You do not want to say anything will go wrong, but in case anything goes wrong, then it will complicate matters. This being a law, once it is approved, it is going to be an Act of Parliament. For now we can start with this and that is why I am supporting it. As we move forward, we can think of how to bring more amendments to allow other parties to benefit. With those remarks, I want to support the mediated version of this Bill so that we get a law which can also go a long way in promoting party democracy. Thank you."
}