Deputy President William Ruto has suffered yet another setback as Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) will have to vet Harambees before they are delivered.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) will collaborate with DCI will investigate any complaints, misuse of funds or any issue relating to conduct of public collections.
The body created under section 41 of the National Police Service Act will also audit such monies to catch people stealing harambee collections or using such functions to launder illegally acquired funds.
Other members of the team are the county governor, two elected members nominated by the county assembly, the chairperson of the county security committee, and at least six other members appointed by the governor from various community groups.
The proposals are contained in the Public Fundraising Appeals Bill, 2019 sponsored by the National Assembly Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC). The report on the Bill was tabled in Parliament last week at a time when the State has been cracking the whip on political gatherings, including fundraisers.
Last weekend, opposition leader Raila Odinga hosted businessman Jimi Wanjigi to a fundraiser in aid of Bondo ACK for the completion of a Sh160 million Bondo Anglican Church Synod Plaza.
Over the same period, police had cancelled Ruto’s fundraisers in Mumias East and Kilifi over insecurity fears. Before the brakes were slammed on the DP by the National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC), Ruto was the undisputed ‘king of harambees’, criss-crossing the country and dishing money to churches.
Former President Daniel arap Moi was an avid supporter of the harambee system, which characterised his weekend life. However, when Mwai Kibaki landed in State House in 2002, harambees took a back seat as the State moved in to play its role in provision of services and social welfare.
For 10 years, harambees went on a lull until 2013 with the election of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto, which saw the return of fundraisers. Ruto captured the harambee space, claiming he was investing in heaven.
In its report on the Bill, CIOC noted increasing cases of people using harambees for ‘social status’ and others raising money for ghost projects. Other phenomena of the harambee system deployed on hapless Kenyans include fake promises and bouncing cheques.
“The committee noted that there has been an abuse of the process of fundraising appeals with people raising money for social status enrichment and some raising funds for non-existent causes and even where there were justifiable reasons, there was no transparency or accountability,” the committee chaired by Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni said.
He said the new regulation would ensure that the fake fundraising activities that are set up to loot money from the public will come to an end.
“The harambee spirit is being misused and abused despite it being of great help in moving our country forward. What we want is for them to start being audited by the Auditor General for easier accountability,” he said.
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The MP said any fundraising that invites a guest of honour, advertises, or goes public must apply for a licence so that there is an assurance of what people are contributing for.
This means that the public calls for medical, education, disaster mitigation, project development among other funding that require public participation would require a licence.
If passed, it will slam the brakes on individuals who use the opportunity to uplift their social status. During debate last week, Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma said the Bill does not seek to get rid of harambee, but rather regulate it within the law to ensure it becomes beneficial to the right people.
