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{
    "id": 1490671,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1490671/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 165,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Crystal Asige",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "progressively ensure that at least five per cent of appointive and elected positions are filled by PWDs across the country. Article 177 of the Constitution provides for the composition of a county assembly, as you know. Specifically, Article 177(c) provides that the county assembly shall include members representing marginalized groups, including PWDs and the youth, as prescribed by an Act of Parliament. With a view to implementing Article 177(1)(c) of the Constitution, Parliament has enacted two laws, as you will know; the County Governments Act and the Elections Act; that prescribe the number of members to represent marginalized groups in the assemblies. Whereas Section 7(1)(a) of the County Governments Act provides for six seats for marginalized groups, Sections 36(1)(f) and 36(8) of the Elections Act provide for four seats, which brings a little bit of confusion as to which one to then follow; six seats or four seats for marginalized groups. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has been implementing 36(1)(f) and 36(8) of the Elections Act so far. Despite the statutory provisions that I have just laid out that provides representations for PwDs in the county assemblies, if you look at what is happening today, the representation of PwDs in county assemblies still remains tremendously low. As we speak, there are approximately 21 counties out of the 47 that have no PwD representation whatsoever, which I believe is a mixture of mischief within the parties before elections and the relevant laws inadvertently creating gaps that create loopholes that are used to circumvent the Constitution. Our Constitution spells out the rights and freedoms afforded to us, PwDs, in this country. Article 54 speaks clearly on the requirement of five per cent representation of PwDs at all levels in the country. To illustrate how these laws have created some confusion that has taken advantage of nominating bodies that leave PwDs across the country without adequate representation, is that the provisions only give a figure for the nomination slots and do not expressly allocate the seats allocated amongst the interest groups."
}