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{
    "id": 1491180,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1491180/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 297,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Osotsi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13588,
        "legal_name": "Osotsi Godfrey Otieno",
        "slug": "osotsi-godfrey-otieno"
    },
    "content": "This Bill will give clarity because Sen. Crystal Asige is proposing that we need to be very specific that two of the people to be nominated must be youth. Secondly, two of the people to be nominated must be people representing a marginalized group and then 5 per cent of the representation in the county assembly should be people with a disability. This is commendable and it will also give clarity to the Election Act, which, when it comes to making this determination after the election, we have had challenges at the IEBC, where you find that some of the people who are nominated under the youth are not youth. Some of the people who are nominated to represent the marginalized groups are not actually a marginalized group. In some cases, persons who are nominated to represent PWDs are not strictly PWDs. So, this will give clarity to Article 177 of the Constitution and, therefore, enhance the number of people who are nominated, particularly for PWDs. This is commendable. The increase of the number to 5 per cent is also commendable. However, allow me to also say something. Whereas I fully support this proposal, again we would like the people who are nominated to serve in the county assembly, the National Assembly and the Senate to be people who will effectively represent the party. It is good to have people in these categories, but it is also another issue to have the right people representing the interests of these groups. It is very disappointing that in some county assemblies, you find people who have been nominated either under the category of gender, PWDs, or youth and they cannot even speak English. The only language they know is their mother tongue. So, I encourage political parties who are nominating bodies to ensure that whereas it is important to comply with the law. It is also important that the persons who are nominated to represent political parties are capable people, people who can effectively represent those political parties, not people who have been taken there just to reward them for maybe relations with the key people in the party, or maybe because they are favoured in the party. We would like to have people like Sen. Crystal Asige here, quality people representing the parties and that is how we will grow our democracy. However, if we end up nominating people who cannot speak, people who cannot perform their role, then it defeats the purpose of having Article 177 of the Constitution. We also need to have legal clarity on marginalized groups because the law does not define who is marginalized. If you look at the Election Act, it is not clear who is marginalized. We need to be told that in law. I would propose to Sen. Asige to include an amendment on the definition of a marginalized group because while nominating people, because of lack of that clarity, you may find that even maybe a particular profession in a county is marginalized. For example, the number of doctors in a certain county is less than any other profession. Is that group not marginalised? We also have other groups within the county that could easily fall under marginalised group. You end up having the ideal marginalised group being left out because of this lack of clarity on who belongs to marginalised group. That definition is vital so that we ensure that there is fairness and transparency in nomination of people to serve in the county assembly. Mr. Speaker, Sir, Sen. Omogeni has referred to IEBC--- 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."
}