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{
    "id": 1166127,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1166127/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 309,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. M. Kajwang’",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13162,
        "legal_name": "Moses Otieno Kajwang'",
        "slug": "moses-otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": "It gave the impression that this was another partisan amendment. People took positions based on who they did not like rather than what they liked. This Senate is the House that has proven that when we have controversial issues, we are able to look at the merit of the arguments put before us. This is a matter that I want to debate, not from the lens of my political affiliation or political party membership, but out of my conviction on the kind of leadership we need in this country. Sen. Murkomen proposes that we amend the law so that those who can run for Parliament and posts in county assemblies are able to read and write in the English or Swahili language or are literate in the Kenyan Sign language. In essence, he is talking of basic literacy, which is defined as being able to construct a simple sentence in a language of choice. This is in response to the coming into force of the amendment that was passed by the National Assembly back in 2017. We were in this House with Sen. Murkomen and that idea had originated from Windsor Hotel and Golf Resort, where there was a select Committee that had gone there. It was headed by Sen. Orengo and Sen. Murungi and other Senators. I believe Sen. Murkomen, Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jr. and others were part of that team. Amongst the proposals that they came up with, there is one can that they decided to kick down the road and that was the one on qualification of Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of County Assembly (MCAs). They said let it take effect in the next elections so that it was not going to affect them in that election. Mr. Temporary Speaker Sir, before that amendment in 2017, one required to have a certificate, a diploma or other post-secondary school qualification to qualify to run for MP or MCA. For the record, I do not support that postponed proposal that for you to become an MP or MCA, you need to have a university degree. As I proceed with my contribution, I will attempt to make a distinction between basic literacy and basic education. I will conclude by saying which of the two leaders should have. Sen. Murkomen has spoken about basic literacy but the Act before 2017 talked about basic education, which was defined as a post-secondary qualification. To the question of how many Kenyans have a university degree, if the number presented by the Mover of this Bill is correct, 3.5 per cent, then restricting membership of Parliament and county assemblies to 3.5 per cent of the population is creating an elite that is unacceptable, given the kind of Constitution and nation that we are trying to build. This 3.5 per cent, in terms of regional distribution, is extremely skewed. We know that in Northern Kenya, certain parts of the Rift Valley and Southern Kenya, the distribution of degrees might not be as dense as distribution of degrees in places like Nyanza, Central, Western and Eastern. It is because of the concept of African socialism where we talked about developing high potential areas. It was also a legacy of colonialism that the schools and missions were established in certain specific areas and therefore residents of those areas benefited at the expense of people from the Northern frontier areas that were declared war zones for a long time all the way to independence."
}