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{
    "id": 1494680,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1494680/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 397,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "report is the fact that the Parliament was indicted for changing electoral management processes laws a few months to the electoral cycle; and that, we do deals last minute that make it impossible or difficult for election managers to conduct elections to the satisfaction of the country. You know very well that we have the highest standard of election expectation in comparison with the rest of the world. We expect a near-perfect process, let alone the fact that it is run by human beings, who many a times enter these results deep in the night, having not slept for more than three hours. However, we argue none the same. It is important to note that this time we have made the decision to make these laws more than three years before a general election. That is quite commendable because it means that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will have sufficient time to acquaint themselves with all the provisions of our laws as they prepare to take the country to an election. They will have learnt all our expectations, unlike has been the case previously where we have amended election laws two or three months before an election. Subsequently, after that election, we have gone ahead to fight and ask the IEBC why they did not do certain things, ignoring the obvious and basic fact that they did not have sufficient time to prepare. Let me get into the provisions of the Bill. Clause 2 of this Bill proposes to amend Section 2 of the Election Act, 2011 by providing a new definition of the term “nomination”. Remember what I mentioned earlier, that we argue even on some of the basic things. That instead of just prescribing and saying that you need a Kenyan passport to vote, we want to propose it further and say that it must be valid and be put it in law. I do not think there is any other country you will find this in their legislation. However, this is Kenya and I have given a good history of how we find ourselves with these kinds of arguments. We therefore want to make it clear in black and white that if you are using your passport as your primary tool of identification, then it must be valid. That is rather too obvious for me, but that is who we are as a people. Let us proceed. Clause 3 of the Bill is an amendment to Section 5 of the principal Act, which provides for registration of the voters at a point where there is a by-election. That is another very--- I lack the proper English vocabulary to explain this, but we have to do it anyway. Like I have said, this is Kenya. I am not sure if Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale has sufficient vocabulary for this as well. Neither does my good friend, Sen. Crystal. When there is a by-election, we freeze the registration of voters in that electoral area. That is part of our election regulations, but there was the feeling that you must make it an issue of statute and not just a regulation. People should know that anytime there is a proposed by-election in a certain area, you freeze registration of voters in that region to provide clarity. Listen to this, Sen. Crystal. That the restriction is only in the geographical area where that by-election is to take place. That is Kenya for you. Clause 3A provides that a person who registers as a voter during the period when registration of voters is suspended for the purposes of a by-election as contemplated under subsection 1 (b) shall not be eligible to contest in electoral area affected by the by-election. Clause 4 of the Bill seeks to amend Section 6 of the principal Act, which provides for inspection of the Register of Voters. We are deleting subsection (1) and (2) and The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and Audio Services,Senate."
}