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{
    "id": 1211738,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1211738/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 157,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Nominated, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. John Mbadi",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 110,
        "legal_name": "John Mbadi Ng'ong'o",
        "slug": "john-mbadi"
    },
    "content": " Thank you Hon. Deputy Speaker. I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this Motion. This is just a general Motion. I know we will be dealing with the specifics. Whereas I do not have a problem with the substance of the Memorandum by the President to Parliament, the four key issues are issues that have been debated, talked about largely and widely in this country. The issue of the Leader of the Official Opposition and where that position should sit has been debated largely. On the issue of funding, I cannot over-emphasise and I know there is a process that is in place that will ensure that we anchor and constitutionalise them in a way that those who have been doubting the constitutionality… I do not agree with the position of the Member of Parliament for Kangema that the NG-CDF is unconstitutional. It is not but there are people who are trying to portray it as unconstitutional and we want to seal those loopholes. I have no problem with that. I do not have a problem with answering questions before people’s representatives. I also do not have a problem at all, with the gender principle because we embedded it in the Constitution and we need to actualise it. But I have a problem with two things, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Number one is the process and the procedure and number two is the principles and honesty in politics in this country. So, I will begin with number one issue, on the process and the procedure. Whereas, my colleagues across the aisle are really struggling to separate and distinguish how different it is between the Memorandum from President William Ruto and the process that was started by the former President Uhuru Kenyatta, I do not see any difference. In fact, if you ask me, the initiative by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta had more people participation than this that is now being generated by William Ruto. Why do I say so? At least for President Uhuru Kenyatta, he started a process with the people. He created a task force which went to the people. This one is a president who is writing directly to Parliament. There is no consultation, we do not even know who he spoke to, and whether he spoke to people who visited him at State House, I do not know. This one is a direct initiative by the President. I just want to caution Members of Parliament and the people of Kenya that it is not right and I want to repeat it, it is not right to encourage the President to initiate constitutional amendments. This country has enjoyed democracy fairly, compared to our counterparts across the region. This country, probably with Ghana stand out as countries that are promising in terms of democracy. We should not allow any indication of an individual rolling back those gains and there is a possibility that one can test waters. Do not allow the President to start testing waters by writing to Parliament for constitutional amendments. Tomorrow, and with the gerrymandering that I have already started seeing and the games being played around with the Members of the Opposition now being invited at will, and the Jubilee Party almost gone to the other side with MDG, United Democratic Movement Party (UDM) gone and many individual MPs including those of my party under threat of being raided, I foresee a possibility of a president once emboldened who can recommend far reaching amendments to the Constitution which may even take us to a life presidency. That is my fear. Number two, Hon. Deputy Speaker, look at the issues that have been raised in the memorandum. We raised most of these issues in the BBI. The BBI recommended that the person who comes in second in a presidential election should be made a Member of Parliament to be in this House to participate and lead his troops from the Floor of the House. 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."
}