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{
    "id": 130061,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/130061/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 449,
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    "content": "the National Democratic Party in 1990 and sought its registration, we were oppressed by the authoritarian regime and the party could not see daylight. Those were the days when you could speak about Opposition political parties in whispers. It is the sacrifices that we made that has extended the frontier of freedom to the hon. Members I see in this House, especially those on the opposite side who must be grateful to the warriors of the second liberation for bringing them here. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we tried to form the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD), it was an uphill task. Most of us spent many hours in police cells. It was even very difficult to get a court to exercise justice. As we sit here today and we are establishing a tribunal which will arbitrate among political parties in a country that is struggling to break the chains of authoritarian rule, it is a matter that we must take very seriously. From now on, we will have institutional mechanisms of regulating the affairs of political parties so that our democracy can grow and be mature. This will make us speak within the context of law and order and the rule of law. The Political Parties Act, for the first time, lays down a road map for the organization, the development, discipline and productive work among political parties. For the first time, we shall have a possibility of distinguishing between briefcase political parties and people’s political parties which derive their power from the people and not the purse or the briefcase. I am very happy for the hon. Members who would like to subject the names proposed here to through scrutiny by the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs. I agree with the hon. Members that it will be very difficult for all of us to go through the Curricula Vitae (CVs) and evaluate the extent which the persons named here are competent and capable of being in this tribunal. However, I would like to take the Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs for his word. For the Chief Justice to bring these names here, they must have thought carefully and made sure that they do not want to shame the Minister by bringing to this House men and women---"
}