Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1046955,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1046955/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 119,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Suba South, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. John Mbadi",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 110,
        "legal_name": "John Mbadi Ng'ong'o",
        "slug": "john-mbadi"
    },
    "content": "Further, I agree with the timelines provided but, again, I have concern. I definitely heard Hon. Otiende speak to this matter. He said that a referendum may be conducted on the basis of an Act of Parliament which shall specify... Which other Act? I think that one was properly prosecuted. I do not want to over-emphasise that point. However, something that caught my attention is about – let me just mention it without even referring to it directly in the Bill – the provision that the IEBC will send referendum question it framed to Parliament and Parliament can refer it back to IEBC to redraft it. The IEBC redrafts and brings it back to Parliament. Parliament can then refer it back. I find that too cyclical to the extent that we do not know when this would end. The net effect would be to delay, especially if it is a popular initiative. If promoters want a Bill in a particular manner and they have collected signatures, I do not think Parliament should have much leeway or much space in redrafting such a Bill because then, how would you know that what Parliament is thinking is what the promoters wanted? If the promoters have framed their Bill in a manner that is not acceptable, then it is upon the people of Kenya to decide in a referendum that they do not agree with the promoters so to speak, of the Constitution. I wanted to talk about the committees and I agree with Hon. Otiende. However, I think the committee should think through this even much further. We can have as many committees as possible but we also need to tidy it up. We also need order much as we want democracy. You may have 1000 committees, each of them wanting to sponsor agents in a polling station, but there would be definitely confusion. You would have 1000 people and 100 groups supporting, and another 100 or 200 groups opposing. How are you going to harmonise in a way that we have order and organisation? We know how our polling stations are structured or how they are. We need to at least put some systems, where those who are supporting, those who are taking similar stand on a Bill state whether it is yes or no. Those who are taking similar stand need to find a way of coming together not necessarily to take responsibility but for ease of conducting a referendum. Otherwise, you would definitely cause a lot of confusion in the process."
}