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{
    "id": 176545,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/176545/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 220,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Ngugi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 112,
        "legal_name": "David Mwaniki Ngugi",
        "slug": "david-ngugi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for allowing me to contribute to this very important Report. I stand to support the Motion. As we debate this Report, we are talking about democracy and people's rights. When people's rights are eroded, then everything else they stand for is eroded. If people cannot stand in a line and exercise their rights, and those rights be recorded properly, then we have failed in democracy. That is why the institution of ECK is so crucial that it should be manned by women and men of integrity. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this should not only be when we appoint them. It should be a continuous exercise, so that we examine them to establish whether they are up to the challenges they face, at any given time, and whether we can count on them. This should not just apply in general elections, but also in any other election, including election of people to manage cattle dips. Anybody who flouts the people's right to elect a person of their choice should face the law. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also want to talk about modernisation. We cannot just blame the ECK Commissioners and then go ahead to replace them. We cannot allow the same old tools used at the ECK to be used. This is an era of Information Technology (IT). Once we disband the ECK and replace it with a new one, it should be so modern that as people vote, the results are declared there and then. They should be captured at the headquarters and throughout the country so that when the tallying is being done, the people already know the results. With regard to the issue of boundaries, it is good that they be reviewed urgently. We should look for an acceptable formula where the principle of one man, one vote; and, one kilometre, one December 04, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3913 person will apply. We need to have a formula that will be a win-win situation for people in North Eastern Province and also in densely populated areas. That is the way to go for us. We need to take everybody's concern into account. Finally, even as we send the commissioners home, let us remember that they have done a good job over the years. If they made a mistake, we should not condemn them and destroy their careers. I think it will be totally wrong to do that. Some of them are men and women of integrity. What was wrong is the corruption that is part of this country. The ECK was corrupted and as a result, we had election results that were also corrupted. I want us to look at the bigger animal that is affecting us in this country, that is, corruption. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support."
}