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{
    "id": 1064243,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1064243/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 353,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Pareno",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13180,
        "legal_name": "Judith Ramaita Pareno",
        "slug": "judith-ramaita-pareno"
    },
    "content": "We have another amendment where the IEBC is no longer going to handle disputes that arise from nominations of political parties. I always felt it was a conflict of interest and it is good that the IEBC concentrates on their mandate while another mechanism is brought on board for political parties to handle disputes that arise out of their nominations. The IEBC can handle disputes that arise out of the elections. This is a plus. That is the reason I am highlighting what I support in these amendments. Madam Deputy Speaker, Clause 9 is still the same. This is the conflict of interest on the IEBC to be handling disputes arising out of nominations. It is good that we move away. I do not think that was really their mandate, but they had to step in because there was no provision. Clause 13 of the Bill proposes to amend Article 97 of the Constitution on the Membership of the National Assembly, to increase it because of the additional constituencies and to create special top up seats. This is another plus to try and handle the issue of the two-thirds gender rule. Like I have said, you might submit the list of candidates and the electorate does not elect, and you end up not achieving. There will be a provision for top up. At the end of the day, we will achieve the two-thirds principle in the National Assembly because at the Senate, I am one of those who is happy that after we pass this Bill, and after the referendum, I am hopeful that Kenyans will pass this because it arose out of their submissions. We shall have two Senators; one woman and one man from every county. Specifically, this provision will actually address the issue of us looking – I do not know which term to use – but when we speak here and we are not able to vote, this has always felt bad. At least there will be equal Senators, men and women, who can vote for whatever that will be on the Floor of the House. I am happy that this Bill proposes to bring in that amendment of having one woman and one man Senator with equal rights in this House. Of course, with the top up issue in the National Assembly, as we get the 50-50 Membership in the Senate, we will also have not more two-thirds of either gender in the National Assembly. This is notice to the women out there. There is a provision in the Bill that you get priority to be nominated in that top up list only if you have attempted to run and they will look at the votes that you garnered while running for the constituency seats. This will encourage many women to come out because if you do not run then you do not have that priority. We have an issue there because suppose people do not run in a particular constituency and women do not come out and run, where will you take those slots that they are supposed to be allocated for that top up? Suppose they do not come out, do we say that there is a constitutional crisis, or do we have another option? I support that provision to increase women by top up and making the women senators equal to their peers in the Senate."
}