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{
"id": 109037,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Abdikadir",
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"legal_name": "Abdikadir Hussein Mohamed",
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"content": "for as much as those in other areas. It is also important to carter for those in very large tracks of this country. Some constituencies are as large as countries and others as large as provinces. It was important to try and get a middle ground. As usual, when you are dealing with critical things, there will be people who would not think you have gone too far on one side or the other. However, the Constitution has been very clear. It is important because this was a proposal that was discussed by the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), and the Committee of Experts (CoE) took exactly what the former agreed on. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is important to note that, first, we have 210 constituencies; those remain in the next review. Secondly, there are proposed 80 extra constituencies and all those will be given in the next review. Thirdly, the formula is to be applied in the next review. Fourthly, every time we have looked at these numbers, we have done so respecting the administrative boundaries. We were looking at district boundaries and provincial boundaries. All this was being looked at though that prism. Finally, there has been a lot of fear as to whether this House might be disbanded by virtue of a proposal to the High Court or whether the Constitution can be amended at all. That is in Articles 260, 261 and 255. Mr. Speaker, Sir, if this process can show anything, it is that this House takes the laws very seriously. Even when it is very difficult to move forward, this House has taken every step possible to live within the rules that it has set. So, if there is a Schedule that says that the laws that are required to be passed as a result of the new Constitution will be passed in a period of five years; that is from one year to five years. What are the chances of this House defying the Constitution? I would say very near to nil. The Constitution says that even if you do not live within that time line, you have an option to expand the time line by another one year. It is only after that that there is a procedure to apply to the High Court for steps to be taken. That is not a proposal we in the PSC were comfortable with. Indeed, we removed it but the CoE in their wisdom brought it back. I do not see that as a major issue because we have looked at how this House has taken every step necessary, so far, to abide by a road map Bill that this House passed. When we are looking at the Constitution, I do not think that, that is an issue at all. The people of Kenya have waited for this process to conclude for a very long time. The people of Kenya are absolutely capable of taking that decision themselves. This House, the PSC and the CoE will be very grateful for any decision the people of Kenya take whether they accept the product or they reject it because they are the popular sovereign. This document has to end there. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there were only two ways. First, as the third organ of review input into the process and make it better for, indeed, it could have been made better. That was with the House. Secondly, in the event that we do not do that, let the document go to the people of Kenya for them to make the final judgment. This document will go to the Attorney- General for the issues some of the Members have raised. He will look into the typos and ensure that there are no errors on the face so to speak. Thereafter, it will go to the people of Kenya. There are many who have sought for reforms in this country; institutional, legal and constitutional reforms, and by one fell swoop, we will have made hundreds of reforms by passing this document. If you ever wanted to reform the Judiciary, this is a"
}