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{
    "id": 80186,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/80186/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 384,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mrs. Odhiambo-Mabona",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 376,
        "legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
        "slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. Before we adjourned yesterday, I had said that we have come up with a new concept as Parliament called political responsibility. Even based on what has just transpired from the Statement that we have sought from hon. Kosgey, we must unpackage the concept of political responsibility. I listed to the guidance that the Chair has given us, especially on the issues of Ministers and what the Constitution says. Ministers include Assistant Ministers. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will be moving at an appropriate time, an amendment to the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, so that we can define the issue of political responsibility. In defining that political responsibility, I would want us to see the levels of responsibility. Does it only stop at the Minister or does it include an Assistant Minister who may be quiet and, at an appropriate time, chooses to raise issues of accountability? Does it include Permanent Secretaries and councils that are running rogue? So, I will be moving an amendment that we re-define what political responsibility is, and it cannot stop with one person. I want to give an example. If somebody in the Ministry of Agriculture, for instance, steals Kshs1,000 in Suba District, does the political responsibility stop with the Minister; that she or he ought to have known that somebody was stealing Kshs1,000 in Suba District? Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other issue we will need to look at, and I will be moving an amendment, is the proximity to the suspect transaction, which is the example I have given in relation to Suba. The second is whether you had knowledge of the transaction or whether you followed the law or there was complicity or failure to exercise due diligence. I would want to emphasize that especially in relations to Assistant Ministers, if you sit mum on information on corruption and then when you think it is appropriate for you, you come and declare certain Ministers corrupt, then, you must be complicit in the corruption and should be investigated alongside your Minister. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I support."
}