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{
    "id": 174973,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/174973/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 356,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mrs. Odhiambo-Mabona",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 376,
        "legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
        "slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. In supporting, I want to say that, in the last month or so, Parliament has been subjected to many attacks on a number of issues. There is the issue of the perceived reluctance to pay tax. I call it \"perceived\" because if we chose to look at the HANSARD, our views are very clearly indicated there. Therefore, there is no need for us to go to the media to indicate what our views are. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, more recently, we have seen the issue of Kenya Communications (Amendment) Bill and all that. My view is that despite the attacks, Kenya would be a better place if, as Parliamentarians, we would be focused on the reform agenda. That is why today is an important day. We have actually commenced a process that will ensure that we have a Constitution within the shortest time possible. We have seen what we have gone through as a country. God forbid that we go to the next 4138 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 16, 2008 election with the same law as we had in 2007! I would also want to urge that as soon as we are done with reforming the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) we should quickly move into reforming the police. I may disagree with a number of people about different issues, but they have absolute right to express their views unhindered. It is, therefore, wrong for the police to arrest members of the public who are expressing their views over things that seem to them not to be correct for them. As Members of Parliament, if we finish the reforms of the ECK, we should immediately embark on the reform of the police. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would also want to say that the provisions of the Bill on the boundary review are very progressive, as they take into account the diversity of this country both in terms of the population and geographical features. For example, it talks about means of communication and in constituencies such as those in northern Kenya, where the means of communication is a challenge. In places of Nairobi, where we are talking about population, it takes that into account. In places like Mbita, where you have to hop from one island to the other with a canoe, it will also take that into account. Therefore, I support it."
}