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{
    "id": 1433939,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1433939/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 306,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kericho County, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Beatrice Kemei",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill (National Assembly Bill No.67 of 2023). I will start by commenting on the Children Act, 2022. I support the fact that a man can also be allowed to adopt a child who is not necessarily a relative. This fact speaks against discrimination, according to Article 27 of the Constitution which talks about equality and freedom from discrimination. Many children are suffering out there because some of them do not have parents. There are others who have parents but are not doing well. Their parents are not in a position to take care of them. A number of women may not have the capacity to adopt children. If a man can be allowed to adopt children, we will have less children in the streets. We have widowers and single men who have the capacity to adopt children. Therefore, they should not be discriminated. My only concern is if the man is allowed to adopt a boy or girl. If a man adopts a girl, I hope that he will not turn her into a wife or girlfriend later on. When a person is allowed to adopt children or given the responsibility, he or she should be grilled carefully, so that out children may not end up where they are not happy or well taken care of. It is also uncalled for mothers to run away from home and leave children to their husbands. I wish we could look for them and let them take responsibility. I have too many cases. They are not very easy for me, especially as a Woman Representative for Kericho County. I have two particular cases where children were left by their mothers. There is a case in Chepseon where I was given a girl of about five to ten years and her father is hustler. The father has to go with the child to his place of work because he has no other option. We have to look for a children’s home and it is not easy. If this Act passes, it will lessen the work, responsibilities and challenges that we have."
}