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{
"id": 1194519,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1194519/?format=api",
"text_counter": 73,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Gichugu, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Gichimu Githinji",
"speaker": null,
"content": "giving a nod to the Bill. That is when IEBC will give a certificate and then the President will assent to the Bill and have it published. However, in our case, we have tried to avoid that route because we have avoided to touch on all the matters that are enumerated under Article 255 (1). We are not touching on any one of them. So, our case is that this matter will end up in both Houses of Parliament, then both Speakers of Parliament, should we attain the requisite two-thirds majority, will present the Bill to the President for assent. Hon. Speaker, a roadmap is provided under the Standing Orders and you have already guided this House. Today, we are not debating this Bill for any vote or for any resolution. We are just giving the House an opportunity to give general comments which will later be collated and considered by the committee that will take this matter forward. Indeed, Hon. Speaker, you have already directed that the National Government Constituency Development Fund Committee should steer further discussions on the matter. For the interest of Members, towards the tail-end of the 12th Parliament, the Procedure and House Rules Committee, which is under the leadership of the Speaker, presented to this House the amendments to our Standing Orders and that is how Standing Order number 114 (7A) was introduced in this House. It was because of the importance of constitutional amendments. The roadmap on an amendment of the Constitution was given preference in that amendment. The first step is to have a legislative proposal, which we already have before this House. The Speaker has already allowed sponsors to make statements, which we are already making, so that Members can weigh in and give their general comments. Thereafter, there will be a facilitation for collation of the comments. That is why we are urging Members to give their views as to how we can enrich these amendments. That will be the best thing because they will be picked by the committee that will take over the matter from here and then to guide the House. After collation of comments, the committee will also give Members another opportunity to appear before it and so shall other stakeholders, including the Attorney- General; Commissions and Independent Offices; and, the Senate. Hon. Speaker, you have given very good guidance. There were fears by the Senators that we might discuss and pass this Bill as it is before they give their input. They have an opportunity at the next level to give their views, and so are other interested persons. The whole country will also have an opportunity to be involved. We will have three months, after the First Reading, to reach out to every part of this country because this is a constitutional amendment. Hon. Speaker, lastly, after all this is taken care of, there will be what we call harmonisation of all the views that have been collected from this House and stakeholders. At that point, the Bill will be published for First Reading and then introduced to the House. At that level, with your guidance, you have said that once the Bill is introduced and goes through the First Reading in the House, it cannot be amended. This period is very important so that all the people who have interest in the matter can be brought on board. Without belaboring the point, this is an opportunity for these Members to give their views, comments and enrich the proposal. Kindly Members, we have not done this to finality hence we beseech you not to appear like you are correcting us. Yours is to enrich the debate and the proposal that we have come up with so that we can have the best for this country. We need to protect the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) and introduce two other funds which are very critical in this country. Hon. Speaker, as I wind up, let me also give some insight on matters that were in court. The first matter was the one challenging the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Act of 2013 and not the NG-CDF. Those are two different funds. The CDF is the one that was introduced and was found to overlap with the functions of the counties. The Supreme Court 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."
}