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=139000",
"previous": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=api&page=138998",
"results": [
{
"id": 1406401,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406401/?format=api",
"text_counter": 327,
"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. Elachi."
},
{
"id": 1406402,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406402/?format=api",
"text_counter": 328,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dagoretti North, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Beatrice Elachi",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I also rise this evening to support this IEBC (Amendment) Act."
},
{
"id": 1406403,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406403/?format=api",
"text_counter": 329,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dagoretti North, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Beatrice Elachi",
"speaker": null,
"content": "First, I appreciate where we have come from knowing very well that in 2013 when we came to 11th Parliament, we went through a process but later found ourselves in the same challenges. We had to come in and remove IEBC at that time and reconstitute it. A process we went through at Windsor Hotel then. It led to our team of IEBC leaving office. After that, we have continued as a country to always have the same challenges. One of the things we need to ask ourselves before we do this is: is there a time we shall appreciate that sometimes it is all of us politicians who find ourselves messing up our own institutions by trying to find things to work better? For the future, we need to ask ourselves that question. We have gone through a crucial process where every time we have young people who will always fall, they become “fallen soldiers”. I will call them thus. I am hoping as we bring these amendments, we are carrying in very serious thoughts and reflecting on what we have gone through. I appreciate the proposed amendments because our election cycles have remained the same. The IEBC has six main functions, one of which is working closely with political parties. The political parties handle nominations, and it is the IEBC's responsibility to regulate these processes. If IEBC works closely with political parties, we will have a calm country. Streamlining the nomination process will lead to free and fair elections. Therefore, this process should also consider the Political Parties Act. It is crucial to make these amendments because our processes often end up in a quagmire."
},
{
"id": 1406404,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406404/?format=api",
"text_counter": 330,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dagoretti North, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Beatrice Elachi",
"speaker": null,
"content": "During our preparations for the 2022 Elections, a lot was happening. On 23rd August 2022, we had to conduct the Kakamega and Mombasa gubernatorial elections, as well as three other constituencies. What happened to IEBC then for these not to be part of the main 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": 1406405,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406405/?format=api",
"text_counter": 331,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dagoretti North, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Beatrice Elachi",
"speaker": null,
"content": "elections? This Bill, unfortunately, does not address all of these issues. During elections, the country is always on edge, and we need to find ways to handle these issues better. We either address them in the regulations or this Bill so that we do not find ourselves in that quagmire again. We have also brought the First Schedule into the main Bill, which is a significant improvement. I congratulate the team for reorganising and aligning things, but we still need to look at the structure of IEBC. The Presiding Officers are critical people in this structure, but they are temporary. They perform crucial tasks before the elections are finalised, such as picking election materials, organising polling centres, tallying results, and handing over results to county officers. Everything happens at the polling centres, and I agree with the proposed amendment that everything should be finalised and announced there. We hope that this change will prevent disagreements over results."
},
{
"id": 1406406,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406406/?format=api",
"text_counter": 332,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dagoretti North, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Beatrice Elachi",
"speaker": null,
"content": "I do not know why we are not talking about the nomination period we have given ourselves. For example, the official campaigns began on 29th May 2022, immediately after nominations. These campaigns last for three months, and I believe we should have urged the IEBC to ensure that most of the necessary preparations are done before the elections. The Bill should have included a specific timeframe for the submission of party lists and documents to the Registrar of Political Parties. This will help us avoid delays and streamline the process. We should finalise with all these things that take us back, before the official campaign period. The only thing that I think will remain there, are these disputes we have during nominations. I know we have a period of about 30 days to resolve our disputes but after that can we not reduce the official campaign time? We can do it in two months. This is because in three months, by the time you are finalising that leg, you will have gone through quite something. So, it is something we can think of, which was not there. As we reorganize ourselves, we need to ask ourselves whether we want to see an IEBC that is functional. First, we have agreed we shall have two members from the Parliamentary Service Commission and from other bodies. That is now the panel. Going forward, whoever we pick from either side, we must accept they are Kenyans in the first place. We must look at it and appreciate that we must look at the secretariat. I agree to the three years, renewable. But after removing commissioners, we still have all the returning officers. How do you work? Why can we not say that a returning officer who has presided over three or four elections should leave so that we bring in new ones and we start on a new slate? With this, we will not blame the secretariat or the other team for any mess that may happen. As I support, we must look at the secretariat. You cannot just give it to the CEO and leave out the key structure. That key structure is what runs the whole institution; it is the engine. So, if we want to relook at the whole structure, we must look at so many things. Hon. Temporary Speaker, with those few remarks, I beg to support this Bill. Thank you."
},
{
"id": 1406407,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406407/?format=api",
"text_counter": 333,
"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": " Very well, there being no further interest in this debate, I want to call upon the Mover to reply. Hon. Githinji."
},
{
"id": 1406408,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406408/?format=api",
"text_counter": 334,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Gichugu, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Gichimu Githinji",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. As I rise to reply, I find myself in a very interesting and peculiar situation, whereby I wear the shoes of the Leader of the Majority Party and the Leader of the Minority Party to reply to this important Bill. I must confirm I have their blessings to do that, and I associate myself with the sentiments of the Members. Let me start by thanking NADCO, which was ably represented by Members of this Parliament led by the Leader of the Majority Party and the Leader of the Minority Party, and thank the Committee of Justice and Legal Affairs for a work well done. The Committee has been able to dispense with this Bill within the shortest period possible since it was committed to it, and we thank that Committee for prioritising this Bill in their agenda. 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": 1406409,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406409/?format=api",
"text_counter": 335,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Gichugu, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Gichimu Githinji",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Without belabouring the importance of this Bill, it comes at a time when this country finds itself in a situation where there are no commissioners in the IEBC. This has really affected several parts of this country. Some people have gone unrepresented for a long period of time. We have wards which require elections. Banissa Constituency lost its Member of Parliament, Hon. Kulow. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Those citizens require representation, which can only be done through a by-election, which has to be conducted by the IEBC. This Bill is very important and timely, and ought to be given the priority it deserves. I also thank Members for supporting the clauses that seek to delete unconstitutional sections in the IEBC Act. There was overwhelming support for the inclusion of additional qualifications for commissioners. They should have ICT and accounting skills. Information and Communication Technology is very central when it comes to tallying votes and even storage of election data. The increase in the number of members of the selection panel from seven to nine has also received a lot of support from the Members. All stakeholders and interest groups can also be included so that all parties will feel that the election process, which starts with the recruitment of the commissioners, is free and fair. This is done squarely for the interest of Kenyans who expect that elections are free, fair, credible, and verifiable. Of importance is the definition of a parliamentary party in the Bill. It will now be in tandem with the definition in the Political Parties Act and also with the Standing Orders of this House. It will now be easy for political parties to share the spoils when it comes to the Political Parties Fund without much litigation or misunderstanding. Hon. Temporary Speaker, let me take this opportunity to thank all the Members who have supported this Bill. It has received overwhelming support from the entire House. Although Members had reservations on specific clauses, those reservations were in the spirit of the NADCO Report. They have not deviated in any way. It is only that the legal procedure of law- making must be followed, and Members also have the leeway and freedom to state their reservations on the Bill and possibly have them accommodated during the Committee of the whole House. I do not want to repeat what Members have already said. This is a very important piece of legislation. I urge the House Business Committee to prioritise consideration of this Bill so that we can finalise it before the forthcoming long recess. The Bill can be dispensed with by Parliament before it moves to the next level. The NADCO considered all these matters after receiving many recommendations. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am happy because one of the issues that had been raised by some fronts on cost of living is not part of this Bill. It can only be addressed through other interventions like what is being done by the Government. There are some interventions like fertiliser subsidies which support farmers, so that we can produce enough food to feed our people. Matters of the economy can only be achieved through policy interventions by the Government. We applaud and support our President, His Excellency William Ruto, for coming up with some hard and unpopular decisions that have gone a long way to stabilise the economy of this country, which is on the right trajectory. These are the issues that were raised but the Government is addressing them. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to reply. Thank you."
},
{
"id": 1406410,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1406410/?format=api",
"text_counter": 336,
"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": " Very well and thank you. I thank all the Hon. Members who have contributed to this Bill. The interest it earned indicates that we shall call upon the House Business Committee to prioritise it. It is an urgent matter that requires the IEBC to fulfill the requirements of the Constitution. Next Order."
}
]
}