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{
    "id": 579931,
    "url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/579931/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 62,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Keynan",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 41,
        "legal_name": "Adan Wehliye Keynan",
        "slug": "adan-keynan"
    },
    "content": "Part II of the Bill describes the areas that constitute the precincts of Parliament, which I have also explained. I hope and pray that colleagues will contribute to this Bill. There are copies of the Bill in Room 8. I want the indomitable Hon. Linturi, who is a lawyer in the making, to also listen to me. Part III provides for the privileges and immunities for Members. I want to plead with the Members to look at this Part, critically, interrogate it and come up with any amendments that will further reinforce the intention of this Bill. The Part provides for privileges and immunities of Members, their freedom of speech in Parliament, immunity from legal proceedings and freedom from arrest for civil debt during the session of either House. During the one-party era when freedom of speech was limited, sometimes Parliament acted as a sanctuary for those with divergent political views. This was the only institution where you would not be arrested by the then dreaded Special Branch. We might have passed that age because we now have a generous and one of the most reformist constitutions. Sometimes, the law is one thing and the application is another. You never know when we are likely to have a rogue head of State, or heads of institutions. Therefore, the law is the only protector. This is why it is important that some of the issues that may not have been envisaged must be clearly spelt out. I said there is freedom of arrest from civil debt during the session of Parliament. This Bill gives circumstances where proceedings of Parliament, or Committees, are barred from being given as evidence in court, or when that can be allowed. This Bill attempts to provide a modus operandi on how parliamentary recordings and proceedings are supposed to be used by any would be litigant. I also want to remind Members of Article 125 of the Constitution. This is the bit that all of you must worry about, as legislators; this is a hanging article. Article 125 (1) of the Constitution says:"
}