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{
    "id": 153392,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/153392/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 246,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Abdikadir",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1,
        "legal_name": "Abdikadir Hussein Mohamed",
        "slug": "abdikadir-mohammed"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Government formulated and through this House, enacted the Constitution of Kenya Review Act, No.9 of 2008 whose main objective is to facilitate the completion of the review of the Constitution in this country. The Act provides for organs and the process on which the review of the Constitution is to be completed. A committee of experts that is spearheading the Review Process was sworn in on 2nd March, 2009 and while the Committee faced a few teething problems initially, it is now down to work and has already covered substantial ground. The Committee recently invited views from members of the public on what they consider contentious issues, and we believe that included political parties. It is in this regard that the PSC notes with grave concern, statements associated with political parties publicly advancing strong positions on contentious issues in the Review Process. We do fear that this follows a familiar pattern in which the Review Process becomes fodder for destructive political competition in a zero-sum game as happened in 2001, 2004 and 2005. The PSC wishes to make the following observations: 1. The country will in the end, hopefully have one Constitution which will be the Constitution for the entire country and the people of Kenya and not for any political party. 2. We ought to learn from the mistakes of the past and ensure that the process is not taken captive by politics. 3. We must respect the Review Process, the structures and the entities set up thereunder. 4. Most key issues concerning the Review Process are exhaustively covered in more than half a dozen drafts and more than five volumes of reports by the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC). 5. Various issues of contention exist which require consensus and compromise and on which this House and its Members are required to provide leadership. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the review of the Constitution is not about political parties or the different blocks in the Coalition Government or, indeed, about politicians. It is about the aspirations of this country and its people."
}