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{
    "id": 1154856,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1154856/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 298,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kipipiri, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Amos Kimunya",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 174,
        "legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
        "slug": "amos-kimunya"
    },
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, for the record, yesterday we had a discussion with the Chair and Hon. Millie Odhiambo; and we agreed that all those amendments be processed yesterday so that we could discuss the Bill today. Hon. Speaker, this is a Bill which has taken 21 years to develop. I published this Bill in October last year. It has gone through all manner of delays until this time. This Bill needs to go to the Senate. I am not even sure if we would be able to finish it tomorrow. Realistically, we would be talking of May. Even if we finish it in May and then take it to the Senate and they publish and take it for public participation, we will end this House before this Bill has seen the light of the day. I have been asking for that. We agreed to have minimum changes so that we save this Bill. Given the circumstances, I am not even sure whether there is any need to waste the time of the House tomorrow or even in May, knowing that this Bill will end up not even being considered in the Senate with the time that is left. So, perhaps, we need to also have that in mind. That is why I had said let us do what we can today so we have time tomorrow. This is because even if we finish it tomorrow with these kinds of numbers, we would not be able to put the Question. So, we put the Question in May then take it to the Senate; and we know the story of the Bills in the Senate. So, it is one of those unfortunate situations. I know the Chairman may not have said it, but I have looked at some of the amendments. They are the same amendments that were brought by organizations during the public participation. The Committee has rejected some of them. It is the most frustrating Bill that I have had to process in this House. It is so unfortunate that this Bill has had to suffer the fate it is going to suffer; and the children of Kenya would be denied a Bill that was going to help them, and which has been worked on since the last review in 2001. The Constitution has come into place and matters have never been harmonized with the new Constitution; children’s rights and all those things. It is a very comprehensive Bill but, unfortunately, I am not seeing this Bill seeing the light of day, given the circumstances and given the season we are getting into in May, and the fact that it has to go to Senate. I had asked the Committee to fast-track it. I had also asked Hon. Millie Odhiambo to bring her amendments earlier, but they are only coming in today, and more are coming. So, if we can do it tomorrow, the better. If we cannot, then I am washing my hands off this Bill."
}