Kenyans are funding Punguza Mizigo — Aukot

The Punguza Mizigo Bill is being funded by well-wishing Kenyans, Thirdway Alliance Party leader Ekuru Aukot has said.

Aukot, who was speaking at Murang’a County Assembly on Tuesday, said he has registered a pay bill number that Kenyans have been using to fund the drive to lobby support in counties. 

The M-Pesa pay bill number is 785500. 

Aukot kicked off the drive to popularise the bill in counties on July 24 and has since been addressing county assemblies. Twenty-four of 47 countries must pass the bill.

He said funds will be handled with transparency and accountability and that books will be available for scrutiny by Kenyans.

“We are launching the pay bill here in Murang’a so the doubting Thomases can understand where we source our funds,” he said. 

Many people, especially the political class, are opposed to the Bill and have been raising queries over the source of his funding, Aukot said.

He urged Kenyans to continue supporting his bid "as they have been doing for the past one and a half weeks".

If passed, Aukot told MCAs, his proposals would save about Sh3.78 trillion from the rampant graft, wastages and bloated wage bill.

This, he said, would easily clear the Sh5.5 trillion public debt the nation has incurred and "would lessen the need for more debts". 

“Right now, even unborn babies have a debt which is why we are suggesting the abolition  of nominations in all houses.” 

The Bill will also reduce wastage in the public service which should not be a chance for Kenyans to enrich themselves. 

The deputy governor's seat is redundant, adding that several deputies have backed its scrapping "as they are reduced to political flower girls"

He said his bill also seeks to entrench a culture of graft intolerance.

It proposes life sentences for those convicted of corruption crimes that cost the country Sh700 billion annually. 

It will also equip the office of the Auditor General with a forensic department to gather evidence and ensure graft suspects are tried expeditiously.

“In Kenya, we have accepted that we are thieves and the only issue is how much we steal and from where,” he said. 

But speaker Nduati Kariuki expressed concerns the life sentence will end up punishing minor offenders more than the major looters.

He said, however,  it would bring more development to the grassroots and reduce the cost of running government.

The Murang'a County Assembly will get more views from members before deciding whether to support it, Kariuki said. 

Edited by R.Wamochie