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{
    "id": 1051875,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1051875/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 112,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Lusaka",
    "speaker_title": "The Speaker",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Constitution provides that if a draft Bill has been approved by a majority of county assemblies, it shall be introduced in Parliament without delay. In view of the foregoing, it goes without saying that the threshold required under Article 257(7) of the Constitution for introduction of the Bill in Parliament and attendant requirements in the Guidelines have been met. Hon. Senators, Article 257 of the Constitution was not crafted in vain. It is a provision, which allows any citizen to originate a proposal to amend the Constitution and to garner popular support for the proposal with a view of having the proposal considered by Parliament upon gaining the support of the majority of the county assemblies. It is noteworthy that the initiation and steering of the current process involved a significant investment of public resources, noting that it was a culmination of the recommendations of the Building Bridges Initiative Steering Committee. Any delay in processing to the next stage, which is consideration of the Bill in Parliament, would cause anxiety in the country, and would go against the spirit and intention of Article 257(7). Having consulted the Speaker of the National Assembly, we have resolved to commence the process of consideration of the Bill in Parliament without any further delay in accordance with the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the respective Houses. Hon. Senators, in this regard, I hereby direct the Clerk to publish at the appropriate time, the following information in at least two newspapers of national circulation and in the Gazette for general information of the public- (1) The list of county assemblies that have submitted the draft Bill and the certificate approving the Bill jointly to the Speakers of the Houses of Parliament; (2) The list of county assemblies that have submitted the draft Bill and the certificate rejecting the Bill jointly to the Speakers of the Houses of Parliament; and, (3) The list of county assemblies that have not submitted the draft Bill and the certificate. As Speakers of the Houses of Parliament, it is our hope that once this information is published, the remaining county assemblies will submit their respective returns to us within the stipulated timelines to enable Parliament to conclusively submit to the IEBC, the respective decisions of the county assemblies. Further information regarding the parliamentary process will be provided to the House in due course. The House is accordingly advised. I thank you."
}