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{
    "id": 1047843,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1047843/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 27,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ndaragwa, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Jeremiah Kioni",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 49,
        "legal_name": "Jeremiah Ngayu Kioni",
        "slug": "jeremiah-kioni"
    },
    "content": "In executing our mandate, we as a Committee has done a little bit of audit of the Constitution and the laws that have been passed since 2010. We have not less than 150 of the statutes that require to be looked at, perhaps, amended or improved, so that we can implement the Constitution as we passed it back in 2010. In the process of amending or auditing the implementation of the Constitution, we went through Article 255 of the Constitution. We noted that if you need to amend anything under Article 255, you need a referendum and yet we did not have a referendum law. That was noted by the Committee immediately we came into office. I want to also put it on record that as early as 2019, the Committee engaged the Third Way Alliance headed by Dr. Aukot. They had what was called Punguza Mzigo. It is out of that that it became clearer that there are issues that required to be addressed quickly including how the Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission would verify signatures. How would the county assemblies report back to the two Hon. Speakers? What does it entail for the county assemblies to pass any constitutional amendment Bill that is put their way? What kind of threshold and legal timelines would be required? Hon. Deputy Speaker, in line with that, the Committee quickly drafted the Referendum Bill (National Assembly Bill) No.11of 2020 as a Committee sponsored Bill. The process, for the record, was initiated on 16th September, 2019 vide a letter that we had done to the Speaker. The Bill that we had drafted was published in the Kenya Gazette. In getting to process the Bill, it is important to mention and acknowledge that we had an engagement with the Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC), the IEBC and the office of the Registrar of Political Parties (RPP). We received representation and presentations from the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC). The Commission on Administrative Justice had a time with us and we thank them for their input. The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) also had time with our Committee. We also got written submissions from the political parties Liaison Committee, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) the National Treasury, Centre for Multi-Party Democracy and KATIBA Institute. The Report, after public participation, was tabled in this House on 17th September, 2020 for the record and the Members of the House to know. This Committee does not belong to me. It was there yesterday and shall be there tomorrow. This Committee’s mandate is derived from the Constitution and not even the Standing Orders. So, when you subject it and say it must report to a departmental committee, I take it that it is a complete misreading of the Constitution. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I think it is also important to say for the record again, that Members of this Committee spent a lot of time developing the Bill that is before this House. I am there as the Chair and I thank those who gave me that responsibility."
}