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{
    "id": 1067437,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1067437/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 267,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Limuru, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Peter Mwathi",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 104,
        "legal_name": "Peter Mungai Mwathi",
        "slug": "peter-mwathi"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me a chance to contribute to this very important Bill. I start by also expressing my appreciation for your considered ruling that was quite informative, well-researched and one that will set a precedent for future rulings in Parliament. It has put to rest most of the things. In fact, most of the issues that we were going to converse, as I was discussing here with the Deputy Whip, were addressed in your ruling. Therefore, I want to associate myself with that ruling. Hon. Speaker, let me start by saying that I really appreciate the statesmanship that was shown by our President together with the magnanimity that was also exhibited by the former Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, when they came together and did the handshake. The commencement of the BBI and the Bill before us is a result of that handshake which was also supported by many people. When they shook hands, the two great leaders said that the country and the people are greater and bigger than themselves. They relegated themselves to the will of the people to ensure that the electoral violence that had been witnessed after every general election since the early 1990s through to 2007, when it almost culminated in a civil war, came to an end. The two gentlemen put aside their desires and their ambitions and decided that, for the sake of the people of Kenya, they would address the issue of divisive elections. Every time there is an election, we lose close to two years. One year before a general election, people fear to invest in our country and we lose in terms of income. Also, immediately thereafter an election, we experience another year of uncertainty because of political instability. This Bill seeks to encompass most of the people from the region by way of having seats which are currently in Parliament, not that they are additional, being distributed within the republic. The Leader of the Majority Party will become the Prime Minister and his deputy becomes Deputy Prime Minister. More importantly, I remind Members that the last election was won by a small margin. There is almost the same number of people who lost who are literally in the opposition. The winner-takes-it-all ensures the leader of the other huge chunk of votes of the ones who lost, almost 50 per cent of Kenyans, is left outside Parliament. But this Bill now proposes to amend the Constitution to ensure that in this House, we have the Leader of the official opposition and probably his shadow cabinet checking on the Government while here. Previously, the President and the Deputy President would form Government and become a tool to fight the opposition. Now the opposition is recognised by its people in the manner provided for in the Bill."
}