HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 716210,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/716210/?format=api",
"text_counter": 42,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "consideration of the Bill, the Speaker ruled that the Standing Committee on Information and Technology should join the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I confirm that yours was a wise decision because we were relieved with technological issues. Therefore, I am very pleased that both I and my Co- Chair, Sen. Kagwe who chairs the Standing Committee on Information and Technology, were able to marshal this thing. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I must acknowledge and give thanks to you. When you ruled that the Special Sitting will be on 4th January, I pleaded on behalf of both committees that we shall not have time particularly taking into account that 2nd January was a public holiday and sitting to seek views from the public had been advertised for 3rd January. So, there was no way we could sit on 3rd January and report to the House on 4th January. I am glad that you agreed to give us at least one day which has been useful. I also take this opportunity to thank the Clerk and his officers who supported us in our deliberations. Because of the constraints of time, we had to meet up to very late hours at night to ensure that we heard all the views. I believe there was no night in which we did not adjourn before 8.30 p.m. For sure, last night we did not sleep until today to ensure that this report is with you. Maybe, in future, consideration should be given to giving more time to the Committees to delve into these very important issues which are of national importance, particularly, where the public is concerned. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there was an overwhelming response from the members of the public. All of them made written submissions; very well argued. They are in the volume that I have attached to the report so that Members can read for themselves what the overwhelming members of the public, religious community, trade unions and officers such as the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Information, Communication and Technology and my worthy successor, Prof. Githu Muigai stated. It is all there. If you read that, you will find that the overwhelming majority of the people in this country wanted a particular line of action to be taken. I will come to that later. Public participation is very important. I am glad that pursuant to our request that we have a public participation, you readily agreed. There may have been attempts to ensure that we finish the debate on 28th December, 2016, just like the National Assembly did. However, the decision that this House took; that public participation must take place and that it is a cardinal principle of our Constitution - that decision was wise. The people responded very well. The list of those who appeared before the Committee, the stakeholders, is at pages 9 to 10. They include, the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology, the IEBC, the Communication Authority of Kenya (CAK), the Inter- Religious Council of Kenya, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), the Attorney-General, political parties; KANU, CORD and Jubilee made extensive submissions. I emphasize that because election is also a political process. It is very important that when we are discussing election laws and regulations or even when the IEBC is discharging its constitutional mandate, it should be done through an intensive consultative process with the people of Kenya but in particular with political parties whose position is provided for and enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate"
}