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{
    "id": 1399250,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1399250/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 240,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. M. Kajwang’",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13162,
        "legal_name": "Moses Otieno Kajwang'",
        "slug": "moses-otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": "law and ask ourselves whether we are being relevant. A county that was formed on the basis of a district that was formed on the basis of ethnicity, how then do we expect to be heterogeneous all of a sudden and yet it was ethnically homogeneous at the point of creation? I want to assure and allay the fears of those colleagues, who think that in this Bill we are attempting to rewrite the boundaries of counties. I want to challenge them to go to the Constitution that we had during Independence which defined the original 40 districts and compare with the District and Provinces Act. If they can cite any alteration, I will gladly withdraw this Bill because it is not my intention to cause any further strife over and above that which has existed. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the team that was in Bomas, the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) team, and the report which this House has already adopted, pointed out that boundary disputes are a threat to cohesion. They encouraged Parliament to quickly enact a law that will give effect to the constitutional provision on alteration of county boundaries. I want to call upon Senators that when we go back to our base, let us not give the impression that this Bill seeks to rewrite or amend anything. There are those who have argued about the districts created after 1992, and my colleagues, Sen. Wambua mentioned Mwingi District and Sen. Kavindu Muthama mentioned the 1997 additional districts that were created. It is the courts of law that declared them to be unconstitutional for reasons that were even canvassed in Parliament. I have seen the parliamentary HANSARD where each Member of Parliament wanted a district to be created in their backyard because they thought it would come with benefits, but then the court ruled that it was improper and unconstitutional. I just want to give that comfort that this Bill does not intend to introduce any alteration. This Bill has been moved by a Member from the opposition and has been seconded by the Senate Majority Leader. I will take time, in consultation with the leadership of the Majority and Minority sides, to ensure that all the good suggestions that have come from Members are incorporated as we proceed to the next stage of this Bill. I want to thank hon. Members of Senate for their dedication, commitment and living up to their calling as defenders and protectors of devolution. I want to assure them that when the amendments come, we shall consult to make sure that every amendment that we put forth, we are able to explain its merit or demerit. We are going to learn lessons from past attempts and make sure that this Bill does not suffer in the other House, the same way it has done in the past. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, with that, I beg to reply and request that you defer the putting of the question to a later date pursuant to Standing Order No. 66(3). Thank you."
}