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{
    "id": 1411550,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1411550/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 298,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mbeere North, DP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Ruku GK",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "up with a ruling from the Speaker to define what a parliamentary party is. This is a welcome amendment, and it will save this nation from the push and pull in terms of fidelity to political parties. Second, the amendment that revises the term limit of the secretary to the IEBC to a single six-year term is welcome. It is important for whoever will be the holder of the office to have confidence that he will not serve for three years and then face a panel or go home. Six years is enough for any innovative secretary to implement different innovative solutions that can solve quite a number of challenges that we have encountered in past general elections. We need innovative solutions in this very important institution for the Republic of Kenya. Without IEBC, this country can sink into anarchy. Therefore, the stability of the secretary of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission's office is extremely important, and a six-year term is welcome. The amendment concerning delimitation of boundaries is of importance. Quite a number of constituencies are threatened to be scrapped at the moment. One of them is my constituency, Mbeere North. The people of the Republic of Kenya and these boundaries have been curved randomly by the IEBC. The focus has not just been on boundaries but also fundamental parameters such as customs, terrain, population, geographical considerations, culture, and the history of the people. These are key considerations. You know very well that there are different sources of law, and one of them is customs. The boundaries of the constituencies in Kenya cannot be formed without considering the customs of the people. Therefore, there is a way you can be insensitive as far as the customs, origins of the people, and even the economic activities of those people are concerned. If you are not sensitive as far as those factors are concerned, then it can easily create anarchy not only in this country but also in Africa. Today, we are experiencing anarchy in Kerio Valley, and some of these things are extremely important. You realise that sometimes there is a dispute in terms of the boundaries in that area, and probably that is one of the origins of the conflicts that have belaboured this nation over the years. The delimitation of electoral units and the proposals that this amendment is seeking to be effected are well considered. At the same time, we cannot talk only about the population; we also need to talk about other factors, as I have mentioned. At the moment, we do not have a Member of Parliament from Mandera County because we do not have an operational IEBC in place. Therefore, if we move quickly to ensure some of these amendments are done, and the IEBC is well constituted, then the people of the constituency in Mandera County will get their rightful representation in this House—not only the constituency in Mandera but also other wards that are vacant today. It is also important to note that IEBC staff are still incurring expenditures. It will be important to understand how that expenditure is being incurred, and we do not have commissioners at the moment. I know the budget that will be read in this House in a couple of days or months from now will have an element of factoring in the budget for IEBC. I do not know how that budget was arrived at when we do not have commissioners. Therefore, there is a possibility of illegality as far as the allocation of the budget to IEBC is concerned. This is because IEBC is an independent body. We cannot say it is under any Ministry at the moment, but it works in collaboration with other Ministries. At the moment, the staff at IEBC are likely to have allocated themselves powers for which they do not have to submit the budget, which will be tabled in this House. I request your wisdom, Hon. Temporary Speaker, so that the House does not consider a budget that has not followed the appropriate legal procedures until we constitute a proper IEBC. Through this amendment, we are going to ensure that IEBC is properly constituted. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I submit and support. Thank you."
}