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{
    "id": 691398,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/691398/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 177,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Maanzo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2197,
        "legal_name": "Daniel Kitonga Maanzo",
        "slug": "daniel-kitonga-maanzo"
    },
    "content": "fundraising, I would not be a Member of this House today. I would have probably perished and died in Makueni while I was young. But, the daughter of the Queen of England called Princess Ann used to conduct regular fundraisings in evenings to raise money to educate me and others at the Starehe Boys Centre and School. If they were not willing to give, 15,000 boys and many others in this country through the Save the Children Fund, we would never have been educated. For that matter, it is a little selfish for leaders to legislate against donations. The donor should be aware of fraudulent seekers of monies from the public. Therefore, it will be a little difficult to legislate in a matter whereby a person is willing to assist. When they are not able to assist, it is okay. Nobody forces them to. The spirit of harambee is what has built this county for many years. It is only that the fundraising, with the laws which we already have, have been monitoring the electioneering period, which is likely to be abused. Ordinarily, when it comes to churches, it is a place of God and God is a judge of church leaders who raise monies for the wrong purpose and steal monies fundraised for the development of sanctuaries or places of worship. Therefore, it is a matter which should be left to an individual to decide whether they want to do it or not. For good morals and what is encouraged in most religions in the world, it is to give. In fact, my experience Hon. Speaker - and I have also seen it is yours - the more you give, the more you are blessed. If you visit hospitals today, there are some helpless people who are sick. They did not invite sickness. A little bit of fundraising helps them to reach medical care. Not everybody is able to be insured against sickness and other things. When I was elected to Parliament, there was a young lady who had died. Her body was in a mortuary for three months. When I was elected, the family came here and approached me. We could not raise a total of Kshs700,000 of the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). So, we fundraised a little bit. Then, I wrote to the KNH. When they assessed the case, they accepted part of that bill. That is how that family managed to bury their loved one. With that body hanging there, left in a morgue in Nairobi, the family would never settle. So, this being a moral issue, we need to leave it to the leadership. I want to believe that the laws which exist are sufficient to take care of exploitative fundraising during the electioneering period. You will see that members who are in public service or elected have been excluded. The aspirants conduct fundraisings from the first year to the fifth year we are serving. That will definitely disadvantage those Members if that was the idea or if it was a law. We cannot legislate against giving the less fortunate. I believe even in the Islamic Religion, you are encouraged to give alms to the poor. You are encouraged to give and to donate. A person who is donating should be cautious not to be conned or exploited. This Bill has already been drafted. Maybe, we draft it again or during the Commute of the whole House, we reorganise it. I think giving is a good thing. Fundraising is a good thing. All that should be done with good morals within the existing laws which we already have. The giver should not be forced. They should give what they have. They cannot give what they do not have. I oppose and I thank you for the opportunity you have given me to oppose this Bill."
}