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{
    "id": 682055,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/682055/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 249,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Lempurkel",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2084,
        "legal_name": "Mathew Lekidime Lempurkel",
        "slug": "mathew-lekidime-lempurkel"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to contribute to this important Bill. Bribery and corruption have been the order of the day in this country. The people who are involved in those practices in the country are like heroes. Today, people who have money from corruption are moving freely while innocent Kenyans are in prisons. Bribery is just another hand of corruption. To give a very good example, my constituents are almost 80 per cent illiterate. When they are arrested by the police, they are given cash bails amounting to Kshs10,000 or 50,000 and are not taken to court. They are told to report to the police station and after a week or three, they are told there is no case to answer. But already, they have given money to the police. As Members of Parliament, it is our responsibility to save our people and Parliament must be a role model. There is bribery in schools when they are having national examinations, and the national Government and county governments, especially with regard to contracts. We said that the 30 per cent of the contracts should go to the youth, but you find that with good documents and a company, you still have to give a bribe to win that contract. We are in a corrupt world. We need to save this country. I know it is very difficult to end bribery or corruption. As Members of Parliament, we must clearly support this Bill. But we need amendments because bribery should be a capital offence so that we can try to reduce corruption. Corruption and bribery start from State officers, including Members of Parliament. So, how can we be role models when we agree that corruption and bribery starts with us? It is time we changed our mentality and put institutions in place so that those who engage in corruption are announced publicly. We should stand and say: “Shame on you”. We should recover the property and bring culprits to book. Otherwise, we will just be passing Bills. We must come up with a mechanism to see that those who are involved in bribery are taken to court and prosecuted. I urge this honourable House to save our country. This is our country and this is the reality. Let us treat this bribery and corruption like a disease so that we can get medicine for it. I urge you all to support this Bill so that we can get the Kenya we want and for our young brothers, sisters and school children to understand that we are serious. We need to fight corruption right from the top to the bottom. Thank you."
}