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{
    "id": 1426790,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1426790/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 81,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "is accurate. For purposes of moving this Bill, I will stick to the word ‘clause,’ so that it is clear before the various Members. The Bill also gives life to Article 88 of our Constitution recognizing that the IEBC is a commission with various roles, among them the delimitation of boundaries, which has been a matter of concern in the country. The country is in a place where it cannot conduct elections. It is a matter of grave national concern that for whatever reason, should there be a reason to warrant the conduct of an election, as it is today, we do not have a body that can conduct it. I do not think the country should ever find itself in such a situation after this. We have made provisions that you will later on see in the law to ensure that once we pass this Bill, this shall never happen again, and our country will make progress. This business of having to change the IEBC after every election needs to become a thing of the past, and we have made provisions to ensure that, that happens. Clause 3 of the Bill proposes to amend Section 6(2) of the Principal Act, which introduces information and communication technology, and accounting as additional accepted fields from, which, if experience is sought and proven, qualification for appointment as a member of the commission can be warranted. We just wanted to make it a bit broader but give specific preference to professions that we think are relevant to the work of an IEBC commissioner, and we have included Accounting as a profession. Remember these are figures and you will remember the very funny memes that we had after the election during the infamous press conference by the-- - I am avoiding the term that Sen. Orwoba wants me to use given that this is a bipartisan Bill, and I do not want to spoil the mood in the House. However, you have had submissions by IEBC commissioners elsewhere on certain mathematical calculations that make you doubt their acumen in terms of addition and subtraction. That is why we feel it is an important addition to have members of the accounting profession as part and parcel of those that can be. Before then, what was considered to be high-ranking was only the legal profession. Of course, we have also provided Information and Communication Technology (ICT) because our election is increasingly becoming technology-aided; we use a system, passwords and all these things. It is important to have a commissioner who has a high level of experience and expertise in matters of ICT. They can guide and lead their colleagues in understanding and appreciating the technology that is being deployed in that election. Clause 4 of the Bill amends the Principal Act by deleting Subsections 4, 5, and 6, which speak to what happens when there is a vacancy in the office of the chairperson or a member of the commission resigns or chooses otherwise. Clause 5 proposes to amend Section 10 of the Principal Act by deleting Subsection 4 and bringing in a new subsection, which provides that the Secretary shall hold office for a term of four years and is eligible for reappointment for a further term of four years. There is a very big debate about this, and if I am not wrong, if I have seen from the JLAC, they have varied this provision. Later on, when Members of the Standing The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}