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{
    "id": 1071324,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1071324/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 268,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kitui South, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Ms.) Rachael Nyamai",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13374,
        "legal_name": "Richard Ken Chonga Kiti",
        "slug": "richard-ken-chonga-kiti"
    },
    "content": "In the 11th Parliament, Hon. Nyikal kept saying that this is a wonderful Bill. This is because assisted reproduction is happening in a haphazard way in our constituencies, in the villages. People make decisions, they agree, and then they implement. At times, it goes on quietly. When it comes to registration of children, it happens even though a lot of information is hidden. Registration officers identify parents in a way that is not legal. So, this is already happening and it is important that we have a legal framework as Hon. Millie said. I listened to her as she gave her own account. I would like to thank her very much for being forthright and straight. This is because there are many women who have reproductive issues who may not have the courage that Hon. Millie Odhiambo has; giving herself as an example. I wish to say that I know of so many young women, in their twenties and thirties, who are struggling to have children. Therefore, this is a matter that needs to be taken up by this House. I have also seen an individual - a lawyer- who also went through this in depth and gave very strong recommendations. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I have heard the Mover and the Seconder also talk about being careful about research in this area. It is because this is an area that can be highly misused, especially with regard to the children born without a clear legal framework. I still would like to agree with Hon. Millie. I think she was trying to give an example of exactly what is happening in her area. Within the Kamba community, assisted reproduction happens in an old and traditional way: if a woman cannot bear children, she is allowed by her family to bring another woman as her 'wife'. This 'wife' now bears children on behalf of the woman. Given the current concerns in our contemporary society, I think this is now going to be a bit too old and not easy to implement. Also, there is the issue of the current status of the economy. Therefore, I would like to say that this Bill is long overdue. The Kamba community, we may not be able to continue with the Kaweto concept where a woman bears children on behalf of a fellow woman who cannot bear children. Therefore, it is important that we get a legal framework as women of this country so that people can have children without having to go through the traditional approaches, which are very difficult to implement within the contemporary society. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I have seen that the Departmental Committee on Health, led by Hon. Sabina Chege, has also done so well in focusing on the budgetary allocation for these matters. Indeed, this is a programme that will require serious budgetary allocation. I would also like to agree with the Committee that we may not need an authority to deal with these issues. When I was Chair of the Health Committee, I remember that there were so many authorities. Each and every specialization within the ministry wanted to have its own authority. I agree that we need to have this within the ministry and its departments. That way, they will be able to consider proper budgetary allocations for purchase of equipment and medicine, and ensuring that we learn from the international community. There are so many countries struggling with this, as Hon. Millie Odhiambo has said. There are countries that have already got the way forward on how to deal with assisted reproduction. We can learn from countries that have already succeeded. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, as I perused through the Bill this morning, I learnt that it seeks to regulate rights and regulations relating to assisted reproductive health for individuals and couples. When it comes to individuals, I think it goes beyond the Ministry of Health. It The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}