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{
"id": 1066162,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1066162/?format=api",
"text_counter": 128,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Mwaura",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13129,
"legal_name": "Isaac Maigua Mwaura",
"slug": "isaac-mwaura"
},
"content": "As I speak, in this Senate, I am the Senator with the highest number of Bills. I have five Bill as per the last count. Through this representation, we are able to change the narrative of how people perceive us because there is discrimination and stigma. People are able to see Members of Parliament and Senators who are like them and, therefore, stand up and be counted that they too count in this society. Madam Temporary Speaker, having said that, if I look at the composition under the BBI, I am very proud because we have the four slots in the National Assembly, something that I had proposed in the 11th Parliament, but it was overtaken by events. It is now part of the BBI. We lost in the Senate with regard to the fact that the positions of two nominated Senators, a man and a woman, have been scrapped. If BBI passes, I will be the last to have served in both Houses to represent people with disabilities. The Senate has got an advantage because we are fewer here. It is easier to introduce Bills and Motions and make something current matter in real time because of the nature of the Senate. With the removal of that because of the repealing Article 123, it means that then persons with disabilities, not unless one of them is elected as a Senator and it is very difficult, or a woman Senator, will not be represented in this august House. That for me is a loss because even when there would have been equality of the vote amongst the 47 Senators, it would have been good to have the two representatives of the persons with disabilities, possibly two of the youth and maybe another two of the ethnic minority, to make the House to be 100 people, so that they can be the voice of persons who are marginalized. This is to the effect that even if they do not have to vote as part of delegation, they can still canvass, lobby and still introduce Motions to the benefit of their constituents. They can do that because the Senate, as envisaged in the BBI, would be bigger in terms of the monies that it is going to oversight. The Senate as envisaged in the BBI will also be vetting members of various commissions. Some of these issues would of course have benefitted from the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities. That is to mean, therefore, that if you look at the 5 percent representation in the Senate, then that threshold will not actually be achieved. When it comes to the county assemblies, currently, persons with disabilities are not properly represented. It is imperative that Article 177(1) (c) of the Constitution be implemented by amending the current provisions of the County Governments Act, so as to provide for a man and a woman to represent persons with disabilities in all of the 47 county assemblies. This is to ensure that that representation is guaranteed within the laws of Kenya, as provided for by the Constitution, but the enabling legislation did not get it right. That is something that we should pursue as a Senate and ensure that it is done before the next general elections. Madam Temporary Speaker, there is the issue of the expanded Executive. This is a very interesting country because we have ethnicised our politics so much to the extent that people feel actually entitled to certain positions based purely not on any other qualification but on their ethnicity. As a result, the BBI proposes a consensus where we create a position of Prime Minister, President, Deputy President and the two deputies. True to it, if you look at our The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}