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{
    "id": 1063732,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1063732/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 99,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Were",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13183,
        "legal_name": "Petronila Were Lokorio",
        "slug": "petronila-were-lokorio"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, the other issue was on strengthening the structure of devolution. Having listened to the Co-Chair of the Joint Committee, they have actually weakened the Senate a great deal yet the role of the Senate is to protect counties and their governments. When you weaken the Senate, you are basically weakening devolution and the counties for that matter. This Bill was also supposed to resolve the issues of divisive elections. I have not seen any focus on the reforms of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), to make sure that the IEBC deals with issues of divisive elections other than expanding the Executive which will basically give the top tribes positions. I am saying this as a member of one of the top tribes. However, it will not resolve the issues of divisive elections. Resolving divisive elections includes making sure that we have a credible and fair electoral process. We did not touch on issues that try to align or restructure the IEBC, which has the main mandate of conducting elections. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the vetting of Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and the other appointees by the Executive has been removed completely from this Bill. This is something that was important for us to involve Kenyans, whom we represent, in deciding who will implement the policies that we come up with as a country. The Co-Chair also touched on the issue of revenue allocation and talked about the issue of per capita as a consideration in allocation of resources. We were told that there are seven counties that will lose money if we apply that formula. If we apply that formula also, the role of the Senate in deciding what formula will be used will also be taken away. That is another thing that will weaken the Senate. Lastly, let me speak to the issue of gender equity. This Bill, which we can call the BBI Bill, was supposed to promote gender equity in governance. What it has done, other than transferring women from the National Assembly to the Senate, where they have only been brought here so that they can vote, because the nominated women in the Senate now do not have a vote--- This women will leave the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) on the other side, a Fund that they fought for and held. Moving Women Members of the National Assembly to the Senate also means that the women who will be appointed as Ministers, Deputy Prime Ministers and Prime Minister will be nominated. Why would we rather not have women Senators, so that we achieve the gender parity in the Senate, but retain the women representatives in the National Assembly, as they are, so that we do not lose the gains we made as women in the fight for gender equity? Therefore, I do not see how this Bill has resolved the issue of gender equity. We will still have women going to vie, simply to be nominated. We already know that in most cases, the nomination slots do not necessarily go to deserving cases."
}