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{
    "id": 1375542,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1375542/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 410,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sigowet/Soin, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Justice Kemei",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to this very important Report. First and foremost, I want to go on record that I support the Report because when we are given the nine legislative proposals, we should be in a position to cure at least two or three major issues that have always brought contention and polarisation. The one that comes to mind is electoral justice. When shall we get it right so that when we hold elections, we do not resort to any other means to sort out our grievances apart from what is provided in the Constitution? I do not want to speak to all the issues, but I will single out just three. We have constantly created and recreated the IEBC. However, it has never provided us with the confidence that elections are truly reliable and represent the interests of the people. Even if we create another IEBC yet the systems, structures and people in that institution do not do what is right, it will be an exercise in futility. When those legislative proposals are tabled, we should critically look at the structures and systems of the IEBC. Let us also look at the methodologies of conducting elections. We must also have ethical people manning the IEBC. I am opposed to the idea of principals of political parties being given the honours of appointing members of the selection panel that is charged with the formation of the IEBC. Let us agree on who will be on the selection panel and leave that responsibility to people who can give us the right men and women to man the IEBC. The Ward Development Fund reminds me of the late President Moi who introduced the idea of District Focus for Rural Development (DFRD), which was a system of devolution. We want to decentralise operations as much as possible under devolution. When we include the NG-CDF and the Ward Development Fund in the Constitution, we are giving greater responsibility to the lowest level possible in the management of our resources. I support that. Finally, I want to speak on the issue of corruption. We lose a lot of money because of corruption. We are told that we lose up to Ksh800 billion a year in some quarters through corruption. We must, once and for all, slay that dragon which has held us back. We are looking forward to legislative proposals that will slay the dragon of corruption so that the resources that we generate benefit our people. With those remarks, I beg to support the Report and look forward to the legislative proposals that will effect it."
}