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{
    "id": 800107,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/800107/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 171,
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    "content": "public and fraudulently acquiring public resources through dishonest means, they tell us they are investigating. What are they investigating? This is an open and shut case. As a lawyer, we say that the error is on the face of the record and you do not need to look behind the record. You will realise that there is a lot of hype in the charges framed against the people in the NYS case. We are told Kshs9 billion got lost but nobody has been charged with stealing money. Instead, they are being charged with abuse of office, neglect of duty and all manner of spurious charges that will be difficult to prove and people will walk home scot-free. This is Kenya. There is a lot of hype and fanfare. People in the administration of justice are on television everyday updating the country on the fake steps they are taking in the fight against corruption. After a short while, the story will die like the floods that we have witnessed. After the floods, the sun comes out and dries up everything and the next day we start talking about a new thing. There is no way you can fight corruption without making corruption painful. If you do not make corruption painful, you will never win the war. You will find that somebody who stole Kshs1 billion is taken to court and fined Kshs20 million. What is that? That is pocket change. You will remember the famous case in Mombasa where the Managing Director of Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) was found with Kshs120 million in the house and he wondered why he was being disturbed. He said that is what his wife uses for her regular shopping. He was never taken to court and he never recorded a statement. He is still enjoying the money. In this country, nobody talks about earning money. Everybody talks about making money. When you meet young men in bars and hotels, they will tell you they are discussing a ka-deal. You will not find people telling you that they are discussing on how to work hard and earn money but the story is making money. Making money is through shortcuts. Three former presidents of South Korea are in jail. There is a lady who visited us here – the daughter of a former president – who is also in jail. She came here and pontificated about corruption and development. She will be in jail for 26 years. We salute such a country because we should make it difficult for people to benefit from corruption. Corruption just starts from simple things. One time when I was a Minister, I tried to find out how we procure things here. A roll of tissue paper that you can walk to a supermarket and get at Kshs120 is procured for Kshs1,000. A pencil that you can buy for Kshs20 is procured for Kshs300. A writing pad that you can walk into a supermarket and pick for Kshs50 is procured for Kshs500. Cumulatively, how much money is stolen? In Kenya and Africa at large, we talk about Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and very handsome growth. Nigeria has overtaken South Africa as the largest economy on the continent. South Africa has a bigger economy and the Democratic Republic of Congo has more resources than the whole of Africa put together but where is the social transformation in Africa? The poor of 1960 are poorer today and the villages of 1960 are worse today but we keep on saying lives have improved and more people are doing this and that. Today, The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate"
}