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{
    "id": 676839,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/676839/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 83,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Midiwo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 184,
        "legal_name": "Washington Jakoyo Midiwo",
        "slug": "jakoyo-midiwo"
    },
    "content": "(FKE). It will also affect Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) which is the umbrella body of the majority of Kenyan workers. Hon. Speaker, the import of this, and I can only imagine that it is trying to address mischievously matters which have been settled by court, this is where somebody wants COTU not to be in --- As you know, COTU is at loggerheads with the State, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). Hon. Speaker - I hope the Leader of the Majority Party will agree to that – to make amendments of that nature, we need substantive amendments to the principal Acts, not miscellaneously. This formula has been used severally to do wrongs in this country. To do an amendment that will take COTU or FKE representation from NHIF or NSSF is wrong. Hon. Speaker, thirdly is the copyrights. It affects the people on the streets. I am the one who moved an amendment to stop the Copyright Society of Kenya from stopping matatus and arresting matatu handlers. They said they were affecting our economy by playing copyright music but instead all they wanted was to collect money from them which amounted to extortion. There is need for the Leader of the Majority Party to bring several and various substantive amendment Bills so that this House can address it. If you look at what the Copyright Society of Kenya was doing, it used to be an amorphous body collecting taxes. They would stop matatus and also walk to all the shops in River Road, Nairobi and tell the owners that since they were playing copyright music, they needed to pay copyright fees. They would arrest people all over the country. Three years ago, on the Floor of this House I stopped that through legislation. I plead with you to go back to the rulings that have been made before this House, particularly by Hon. Kaparo and Hon. Marende which say that miscellaneous amendments cannot be used to make amendments to substantive laws. Hon. Speaker, you cannot interfere with workers without public hearing. That is a tenet of our Constitution. I plead with you and the Government that we can do some of these things right as opposed to leading us to make noise. This is not necessary noise. If there is need to deal with COTU, FKE or have another parallel tax collector, please, let us debate it and have sufficient time to debate and amend the relevant laws. The KRA is the only authorised tax collector. If you look at the Order Paper, we will be dealing with another issue which Hon. Duale has brought to the Floor. On this issue of people collecting monies in bettings and all that, we need to know who is collecting money other than the State. There are too many people touching public funds and the State has no control over them. I plead that you make a ruling but make it in the direction that has been made by your predecessors so that we run this House through rules and traditions that are orderly. Thank you."
}