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{
    "id": 1097816,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1097816/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 120,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Suba South, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. John Mbadi",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 110,
        "legal_name": "John Mbadi Ng'ong'o",
        "slug": "john-mbadi"
    },
    "content": "certain significant and major decisions, including staff realignment. I have information that a lot of staff realignment has taken place at the IEBC. We want these four commissioners to get on board the IEBC, sit down with the other three and correct any misdeeds that the three commissioners have probably done. If that is done, we will be happy with the process. Something else that I wanted to point out to the four commissioners as they join the Commission is that the integrity of the election is important. The process leading to the election is as important for the integrity of the election as is the actual voting and declaration of results. Therefore, there should be as much transparency as possible. We do not want to see a commission that deals with matters in an opaque and secretive manner that would lead to a lot of speculation. I am happy that the list has people of wide experience and knowledge. I want to single out Commissioner Justus. It is not just because he comes from Homa Bay. For the first time, we are going to have a Commissioner from Homa Bay, but that is not important. He is not going to work for Homa Bay. He is not going to work for any particular individual. These are Kenyans who have to come from specific regions. Justus, as we all know him, if you look at his CV and the Report about him, this is someone who has worked with various international organisations and delivered results. He is someone who has put a lot of his time on good governance in this country. Therefore, I expect that he does not disappoint when he gets to the Commission. We have had cases where individuals have been appointed based on merit, based on their qualifications and based on their experience, but their performance becomes questionable when they get to those institutions. So, I want to just pray that we get it right this time round - we get commissioners who will put the country first. I pray that we have a commission that will not preside over an election and we end up with the kind of disruptions and chaos that we have witnessed in previous elections. This country is on record as being one of the very few countries in the world where presidential election results have been annulled. It is not something to be proud of. It is something to worry us. Where did the rain start beating us? How come we could not get it right in 2007, 2013 and 2017? The only election results that were not contested in this country are those of 2002. The 1992 elections did not satisfy a majority of Kenyans. The 1997 election results were contested. The 2002 election results were the only elections where there was universal agreement across the country that it was properly conducted. I know some people will say people are not accepting the results. That is not the point. You are supposed to prove beyond reasonable doubt. People are supposed to have confidence in the way elections are conducted. The moment you leave any doubt; the moment you create suspicion; the moment you start talking about some results not being with you, and the moment you start saying that you are meeting challenges with the IT system; those are excuses that give rise to possible dispute. So, this should be avoided. If there is any general election that generated so many disputes at the courts, it is that of 2017. You can see that for most of the cases that went to court, the courts found there were irregularities and a lot of them resulted into some kind of nullification of the outcome of elections. What saved this country is the internal “war” between the various levels of the Judiciary. Otherwise, we would have had so many by-elections in this country. I call it “war” because it was being said that the decisions of the High Court would usually not be upheld by the Court of Appeal. Also, the Supreme Court would always come in to change or overwrite the Court of Appeal. That is what saved us. Otherwise, if you looked at the results of those electoral disputes from the High Court, most of them were upheld in favour of the plaintiff. So, I want to just put it across that let us hope that the commissioners we are approving this afternoon will not disappoint Kenyans. I 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."
}