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{
    "id": 1537662,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1537662/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 160,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "The Ethics and Anticorruption Commission (EACC) Act is what has been tabled and it is pending in the National Assembly as of now. This House and the Standing Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee (JLHRC) had its commitment that dealt with four proposals in an amendment of the election offenses, Elections, Statutory Instruments, as well as the Political Parties Act. All these four statutes have already received their reports. They have been passed by this House and transmitted to the National Assembly for further processing. The Joint Committee thereafter dealt with proposals that would require constitutional amendments. It comprised 15 members of the National Assembly JLAHRC and nine Members of the Senate JLAHRC Committee. It dealt with the report of what proposals had been made about the proposed amendments to the Constitution and secondly, the report by the multi-sectorial working group that also had its proposal on the Constitutional amendments as well as the implementation of the two-third gender principle. This Committee, of course, had joint sessions. With a very informed mind in ensuring that the proposals that Kenyans made to the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) are also input to ensure that these constitutional amendments would achieve the proposals made by Kenyans in seeking to promote the unity and inclusivity of whatever the government of the day would be expected to do for the people of Kenya as it serves in office. It was also aimed at ensuring that we, as leadership, enhance representation of the democratic space of this country. That is why in the proposals that Kenyans made to the NADCO, they sought to ensure that as we look at making amendments to the Constitution, we can ensure that there is some level of transparency of the people who are holding office, the election process itself and also to ensure that we establish appropriate and adequate checks and balances to the government in place. This was out of the many proposals for changes to the election laws that was the first and most critical issue that Kenyans had raised. In this case, there was an aspect of the delimitation of boundaries, which is a constitutional issue that affects the boundaries. In the case of the IEBC, it was past the period within which the law required them to do. Kenyans raised the concern saying that there has been an enhanced population across the country and it was time to allow Parliament to enhance the period within which IEBC would be expected to undertake the delimitation of boundaries. Secondly, the other specific aspect that also required this Constitutional amendment was the requirement to have some level of decorum in how members of a political party are treated, and how they are required to display their loyalty when they are serving their respective political parties. This is under the provisions of the Constitution. This was a subject that also required Members to deal with timelines of determination of a question as to the validity of the presidential election. Remember, the Constitution as of now provides that this question should and must be determined within a period of 14 days. Very many Kenyans have raised concerns about the limitation of the entitlement of Kenyans to deal with that question beyond the 14 days. It was one of those issues that the Joint Committee deliberated on and made proposals to Constitutional amendments. 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."
}