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{
    "id": 1426895,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1426895/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 186,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Osotsi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13588,
        "legal_name": "Osotsi Godfrey Otieno",
        "slug": "osotsi-godfrey-otieno"
    },
    "content": "adequate information that helped us to execute our matter in the Supreme Court. However, due to that mysterious amendment in 2022, it was not possible. That is why a lot of questions arose around the use of technology. Political parties and all stakeholders must be involved in the process of adoption of technology from procurement, installation, testing and implementation. They must be involved from day one to the last day of the election until the results are declared to the nation. I propose that, we need to revisit that Section 44(8) of the Election Act and ensure that it is mandatory for IEBC to have a joint technical committee on matters of ICT, composed of all the stakeholders, including political parties. That way, we will be able to deal with the problem of the use of technology in our election. Madam Temporary Speaker, on the issue of delimitation of boundaries; this Bill talks about the use of the latest official population census report as a basis for delimitation of boundaries. Whereas I agree with that because it is also provided in the Constitution, we have had contestation around the census. In this country, the census has been made a secret. I remember, before the 2022 General Elections, even the IEBC was complaining that they were not able to get the official census report from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS). The census report must not be a secret. I support the provisions in this Bill that this report must be subjected to public scrutiny so that, those contesting the numbers posted by the KNBS are free to do so. We have had concerns raised by the people of Northern and Western Kenya which to date, have not been addressed. You know, this data is used for many things including, division of revenue. It is the most important data that must go through proper public scrutiny. Madam Temporary Speaker, we also need to ensure there is fairness. Yes, population is important but the distribution of these constituencies and wards must ensure some equity. For example, there is a constituency in my county called Hamisi. It is geographically big with a big population. However, when you apply this formula, they miss the target by around 5,000 people. Are we going to deny Vihiga County a new constituency on that basis and allocate all the constituencies in one area? I think there must be a system of saying that constituencies that are almost getting to the threshold in every county, must enjoy at least one additional constituency. Then, the others are spread to other areas. That proposal was in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI). Madam Temporary Speaker, as we talk about the delimitation of the constituencies, we should not just talk about the numbers but also the equitable distribution of these constituencies across the 47 counties. Clause 7 of the Bill seeks to amend Section 24 of the IEBC Act. We need to amend as you had suggested to ensure that we are specific when we refer to parliamentary parties. That means parliamentary parties in the Senate and the National Assembly. It is stated here that the National Assembly will receive delimitation of boundaries report, discuss, debate and forward it to the IEBC. Where is the Senate? This Clause 7 is 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."
}