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{
    "id": 1078531,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1078531/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 53,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kisumu West, FORD-K",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Olago Aluoch",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 5,
        "legal_name": "John Olago Aluoch",
        "slug": "john-aluoch"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I want to go back in history a little bit. Hon. Chachu Ganya, Hon. Duale, Hon. Kimunya and Hon. Mbadi were in the 10th Parliament when we were debating this. It was very controversial then, but we all agreed to have this in the law. At that time, there were Members of this House in the Cabinet who did not have degrees. There were some who were backbenchers like us but were very close to State House. Like Hon. Mbadi has said they were not aware we were discussing it. But when they realised it had been passed, they lobbied and went to see His Excellency President Mwai Kibaki. That is when Hon. Kimunya was asked to say what happened in Parliament. Since His Excellency President Mwai Kibaki refused to assent to this law, it is 10 years. It was very clear when he refused to assent that, that provision would take effect in 2022. It has been 10 years since. Anybody who was serious about getting a university degree would have it. What I see in that Petition is that if you have a driving license, you qualify to come here. I am glad that you have guided the House on the constitutional bedrock of what we have in the law. It makes me happy that as Members are discussing this in the Plenary, my Chairman Hon. Muturi Kigano is seriously making notes and listening. This is because when it comes to the Committee where I have the privilege of serving, we will look at the views expressed by Members. We will also go back to the HANSARD and look at why we have that provision in the law. From where I stand, I can tell the House as a lawyer that, that provision in the Law is not unconstitutional. If it were, then the provision on age could be said to be unconstitutional. Kenyans have the right to bring this to our attention. But I can tell you as a Member of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee that this matter should not be allowed to go through. Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}