HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, POST, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"count": 1608389,
"next": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=api&page=138995",
"previous": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=api&page=138993",
"results": [
{
"id": 1406351,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406351/?format=api",
"text_counter": 277,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Omboko Milemba",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 13328,
"legal_name": "Jeremiah Omboko Milemba",
"slug": "jeremiah-omboko-milemba"
},
"content": " Thank you. Hon. Eric Muchangi, followed by Hon. Timothy Toroitich."
},
{
"id": 1406352,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406352/?format=api",
"text_counter": 278,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Runyenjes, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Muchangi Karemba",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for the opportunity to contribute to this amendment Bill. I wish to start by thanking the Committee for a job well done. This proposal to amend the IEBC law resulted from many deliberations at the Bomas of Kenya. The fact that they came to the House for the enactment of a law means that they did not waste taxpayers’ money. For that reason, we really want to thank them. The proposed law seeks to expand the selection panel from seven to nine. This is welcome as it gives space for the inclusion of other interested groups. You note that our country has many interest groups. Expanding this selection panel from seven to nine is a welcome idea for us to be more inclusive. This will ensure that people feel accommodated in the body that is going to select the commissioners. Hon. Temporary Speaker, for us to avoid the crisis that we are already in, we need to ensure that IEBC is in place. The people of Kenya have a right to representation. We have constituencies and wards that are not represented properly in the House and County Assemblies. The reason is that we do not have a properly constituted IEBC. It is not okay for us to continue in this situation. It is urgent that we ensure that we have IEBC in place so as to be in a position to give those not properly represented an opportunity to elect their leaders. It is their leaders who are supposed to serve and represent them in their respective Houses. Either in the National Assembly, Senate or County Assemblies. It is not okay when we are in such a situation. There is a proposal in this Bill that speaks to the issue of delimitation of boundaries. Hon. Temporary Speaker, IEBC is not in a position to carry out this mandate. I need to mention that my constituency is eagerly waiting for the formation of IEBC. There is some work to do. I happen to represent a constituency that falls into three sub-counties, namely, Embu East, Embu West and Embu North. My observation is that my people who come from Embu West and North really suffer. Politically, they are in the Runyenjes Constituency, but administratively, they are in another constituency. We believe that there is a job for IEBC to do in my constituency. That is why it is very urgent to ensure that IEBC is properly constituted so that they can come down to my constituency and help us get probably a new constituency that will ensure our people are fairly represented. Runyenjes Constituency right now has a population of over 100,000 voters. We feel that we stand a chance of getting an extra constituency. This means better representation and more resources coming to our constituency and county. On the issue of the secretary to the Commission, I have reservations about a term of three years renewable once. I have interacted with many politicians, including in this House. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
},
{
"id": 1406353,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406353/?format=api",
"text_counter": 279,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Runyenjes, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Muchangi Karemba",
"speaker": null,
"content": "While engaging the voters seeking to be re-elected, they always say that one term of five years is too short to bring significant transformation in their respective areas of representation. I am shocked that the same people feel that a term of three years, renewable once, is enough time for a CEO to be in charge of an important Commission like the IEBC. I think that this should be extended to about nine years. A person who becomes the CEO of IEBC should have adequate time to implement changes, be fully in charge of the Commission, and work without any urgency. The same applies to positions like vice-chancellors who serve for a three-year term renewable once. From my observation and interrogation, that time is still not enough. For IEBC, a renewable term of three years is not adequate. We should extend this to nine years. Hon. Temporary Speaker, with those remarks, I support."
},
{
"id": 1406354,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406354/?format=api",
"text_counter": 280,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Omboko Milemba",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 13328,
"legal_name": "Jeremiah Omboko Milemba",
"slug": "jeremiah-omboko-milemba"
},
"content": " Hon. Timothy Toroitich."
},
{
"id": 1406355,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406355/?format=api",
"text_counter": 281,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Marakwet West, Independent",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Timothy Kipchumba",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to this important Bill. I rise to support the Bill, but I will also propose some amendments to improve it. This Bill emanates from the NADCO Report that we discussed here. Before the formation of NADCO, the country was facing issues related to electoral injustices, which had pushed it to the brink of collapse. The NADCO was established to deliberate and reach a consensus on these matters. This Bill aims to address issues raised by the High Court, in particular the Katiba Institute case, which declared some sections of the IEBC Act unconstitutional. Hence, our purpose is to address the issues raised by the court to ensure a stable democracy. Unfortunately, some individuals refuse to accept election results after every election cycle. Having a law in place to address such concerns that cannot be resolved outside the law is essential. According to the NADCO Report, the IEBC Commissioners were supposed to be expanded from seven to nine. The Memorandum of Objects and Reasons for this Bill mentions seven to nine. However, the substance of the proposed law talks of 12, which needs to be reconciled. In my opinion, 12 is an expanded number, and Members may not agree with this. I am sure that NADCO had a valid reason for suggesting nine members. I am from one of the constituencies that will be affected by the delimitation of electoral units. Based on the population quota, Elgeyo Marakwet County will lose two constituencies, Marakwet East and Keiyo North. I agree with the proposed amendment that provides a new ground for boundary review. Hon. Temporary Speaker, the only issue I have with it is that we cannot place it in the schedules. In terms of interpretation of the Constitution, a schedule cannot have the same effect as an article of the Constitution. So, I support the proposed amendment that we have the same lifted and be put in the substantive part of the legislation. I support this because Article 89 of the Constitution gives grounds on which someone can challenge the removal of a constituency based on certain parameters. The proposed amendment talks of reference materials, which are primary and secondary. It refers to the secondary reference material reports of a County Boundary Review Panel. This panel is a stranger to the Constitution. That County Boundary Review Panel is nowhere in the Constitution. It also says that the Commission may use, as its secondary reference material, other relevant data. These other relevant data need to be defined because these are the parameters that are used to determine and review boundaries. The part of this proposed amendment that I laud is the one that seeks to amend the Act based on census data. But remember that the last census we undertook was in 2019. The next one is in 2029 — a ten-year difference. From 2019 to 2024, the population increased. Therefore, it will be unfortunate to review a boundary based on the population quota of 2019. I laud this amendment because it has given other parameters for reviewing the population quota apart from the census. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
},
{
"id": 1406356,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406356/?format=api",
"text_counter": 282,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Marakwet West, Independent",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Timothy Kipchumba",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Hon. Temporary Speaker, I also have a problem with the three-year limit for the CEO of the Commission. Three years is not enough to appoint a commissioner to serve in the IEBC. I will be proposing a six-year term, renewable once. We need what you call the institutional memory of that office. The IEBC commissioners serve and leave, but we need a CEO who has inducted staff. Therefore, I will be proposing a six-year contract for the CEO, renewable once. Hon. Temporary Speaker, as we sit in this House, remember that we have a constituency known as Banissa that lost a Member of Parliament. Since then, a by-election has not been held in that constituency because IEBC is not properly constituted as envisaged by the law. It is unfortunate. As we move this amendment, we must fast-track it so that that constituency can have a Member of Parliament who will sit in this House to legislate, represent, and offer oversight on behalf of the people of Banissa. Normally, when an advocate fails to appear before a court of law, he sends another advocate to hold a brief for him. That was never envisaged in terms of the election of a Member of Parliament. So, we need to fast-track this amendment, agree to the issues, and amend where necessary so that certain constituencies and wards that have lost MCAs can go to the ballot and elect their representatives to the county assemblies at the county level and to Parliament if it is at the national level. Hon. Speaker, I rest my case."
},
{
"id": 1406357,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406357/?format=api",
"text_counter": 283,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Omboko Milemba",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 13328,
"legal_name": "Jeremiah Omboko Milemba",
"slug": "jeremiah-omboko-milemba"
},
"content": " Hon. Dorothy Ikiara."
},
{
"id": 1406358,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406358/?format=api",
"text_counter": 284,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Nominated, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Dorothy Muthoni",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I too rise to support this very important Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 10 of 2024). I want to thank the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs for coming up with very clear and straightforward amendments which will help this country cure past electoral injustices. Electoral systems must be supported and reviewed from time to time. I say that because this is a progressive country where we must institute positive changes that will keep this country safe every time we go for an election. This is so that Kenyans can be sure and certain that they can cast their votes, go back home, sit in the comfort of their homes, and wait for the results without any disruption. This Bill aims to amend the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Act to align it with the judgement of the High Court ruling in the case of Katiba Institute & 3 others v Attorney General & 2 others (2018). The sections and clauses that the High Court pronounced itself on as unconstitutional must be done away with if we are to cure what has been ailing us as a country. I am particularly happy that the Committee has increased the membership of the selection panel from seven to nine members this time around. This will accommodate a high spectrum of stakeholders and other interest groups. A process cannot be disputed if as many interest groups as possible own it. This is why I support the increase in the number of members of the selection panel from seven to nine. At the same time, the increase will take cognisance of the two-thirds gender rule, whereby two-thirds of the panel must be of the opposite gender. The Bill also seeks to amend Section 6 of the Act to include experience and professionalism. This is very important because it will be very difficult to clean up the IEBC if we do not have specific professionals serving there. Some of the credentials that have been included are accounting and ICT. These are key requirements because technology is taking space the world over. If we recruit people who are not ICT literate, we shall have a repeat of what happened in the last election. It is also important to note that one of the amendments that has been proposed is the quorum of those who will announce the results. We are alive to the fact that in the last election, the IEBC commissioners were split into two factions. Four commissioners were on one side, and three were on the other side. The Bill is coming out with very clear reforms that five The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
},
{
"id": 1406359,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406359/?format=api",
"text_counter": 285,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Nominated, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Dorothy Muthoni",
"speaker": null,
"content": "commissioners must be present to form a quorum. That will cure what happened in the last election. As we discuss this Bill, we should also remember that we are doing this to give Kenyans an opportunity to exercise their democratic rights, return to their homes, sit comfortably, and wait for election results without fear. Hon. Temporary Speaker, every time Kenyans have elections, they even fear going back to their homes because they are not certain of the outcome. These amendments are very progressive. I am certain that with this Bill, we will cure all the election injustices that have been there before. I urge this House to come together quickly so that we can reconstitute IEBC as soon as possible. As Hon. Timothy has stated, Banissa Constituency lost its Member of Parliament. To date, these good citizens of this country do not get value for their taxes. I thank the Committee that burned their midnight oil to come up with these very progressive reforms. These amendments will help this country to cure electoral injustices once and for all. Hon. Temporary Speaker, thank you. I support this Bill."
},
{
"id": 1406360,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406360/?format=api",
"text_counter": 286,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Omboko Milemba",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 13328,
"legal_name": "Jeremiah Omboko Milemba",
"slug": "jeremiah-omboko-milemba"
},
"content": " Hon. Joshua Mwalyo."
}
]
}