Public Fundraising Appeal Bill is before Senate. They saw the success Hanifa had and said they have to stop Kenyans helping Kenyans. “Medical bills? Huna permit? Kufa haraka,” now you will need state approval.
Now to fundraise nationally, you will need the CS’s approval, and ONLY CHURCHES ARE EXEMPTED.
A bill aimed at regulating all types of public fundraising has sparked criticism for its proposals, which include rigorous measures for raising donations for various reasons.
On August 1, 2024, the Senate read the Public Fundraising Appeals Bill 2024 for the first time before committing it to the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare for consideration.
The Clerk of the Senate, Jeremiah Nyegenye, posted a notice in one of the leading dailies stating that the bill’s primary goal is to establish a framework for regulating the conduct of public fundraising appeals, or harambees.
“The bill seeks to replace the Public Collection Act (Cap. 106), whose architecture does not fully comply with the Consultation of Kenya, 2010. The Act is not sufficiently robust in addressing corruption tendencies that are sometimes associated with public fundraising appeals,” wrote Nyegenye.
The Clerk goes on to explain that the Act that the new bill seeks to replace excludes charitable and religious purposes from its purview, yet these form a significant component of fundraising appeals.
“The bill therefore seeks to promote transparency and accountability in the carrying out of fundraising appeals, to provide for persons who may conduct fundraising appeals, and to regulate the participation of state and public officers in fundraising appeals,” asserts Nyegenye.
Following the bill’s publication, President William Ruto declared last month that the measures prohibiting state and public officers from participating in harambees were now ready.
Ruto said, “We hereby direct the Attorney General to prepare and submit legislation to this effect and develop a mechanism for structured and transparent contribution for public, charitable, and philanthropic purposes.”
