HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 1060706,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1060706/?format=api",
"text_counter": 294,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Suba North, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Ms.) Odhiambo-Mabona",
"speaker": {
"id": 376,
"legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
"slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
},
"content": "equality yet when it comes to where the rubber meets the tarmac, sometimes we are not very true and genuine about the equality we talk about. We seem to think that equality is only when it applies to us, but is not equality when it favours the men. What Hon. Kaluma is trying to do is to bring equality for men and I truly support. As women, when we talk about equality, it should be equality both ways because what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Therefore, if as a woman I should inherit from my husband when he is dead, then my husband should inherit under the same terms. My husband should not go and prove in court that he was depended on me for him to inherit, if the woman should not be doing the same. If we want to show dependence, then it should be both ways. As women, if we want equality, we must be ready to partake of what comes with it. Equality must protect women as much as it protects men. I challenge Hon. Kaluma that in this case, he has done very well to protect the men. Hon. Kaluma is my uncle because he comes from where my mother comes from. Please, protect women the same way I am protecting men today, so that he does not only bring laws that support men, but when it comes to laws supporting women, we get excuses. Like men after Zelophehad’s daughters went and sought for inheritance, then came and said “what about if our daughters got to marry men from other areas? Our land will go to those areas.” So, they were forced to change the law to say: “Let your daughters marry from within.” What I did was use the Zelophehad standards. My husband is from within. Let me not say the details. As women, we must also be smart so that if I am inheriting, I am able to do so now because my husband also comes from Lambwe. Because Lambwe is a settlement scheme, he comes from Zimbabwe and settled in Lambwe. So he is also one of us. So I can inherit and I have inherited leadership because Zelophehad’s daughters gave me that in the Book of Numbers. Having said that, when I am going to the specificity of the law, I agree with the issue of spouse and the definition of spouse. It is very good because it should be as per the Marriage Act. I agree with Hon. (Prof.) Jacqueline Oduol when she says that the challenge we actually have are the judges who have been confusing us. It is because they are trying to bring equity where there should be no equity. There should not be a case of equity where the law is clear. The Marriage Act is clear that we have different systems of marriage. If you marry under the civil system, you marry one man and one wife to death. If you married under the Hindu system, it is one man and one wife to death. If you are a man who is disciplined and your temperature is not high, please, marry under the civil marriage or the Hindu system. However, if you think your temperature rises a little bit, then go and marry under Islamic Law where you are allowed to marry up to four wives. The customary system is not “up to”. The Islamic system is up to four wives. If you think that your temperatures rises beyond the Corona limits, go for customary marriage where you can compete with Akuku Danger, who married over 60 wives. Once you marry under customary marriage, me, Millie Odhiambo, because I do not want a co-wife, please, do not come when my husband is dead saying: “excuse me. I want to be recognised.” If you wanted to be recognised, go and look for a man who has married under the customary system. If I am talking about equality, if I am not given a right as a woman to marry other husbands, let the man also not marry for us other wives when I do not want."
}