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{
    "id": 219448,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/219448/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 276,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Wetangula",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 210,
        "legal_name": "Moses Masika Wetangula",
        "slug": "moses-wetangula"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, indeed, you may recall that this Bill came here, was moved and, in the process of being moved, it was stepped down. The reason why it was stepped down is because we have an Inter-Parliamentary Parties Committee sitting together with civil society to discuss issues of what has been variously May 24, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1629 called minimum, essential or necessary reforms. This Bill was tabled at the meeting as one of the key documents for discussion. I have been privileged to be chairing a sub-committee that is dealing with technical issues of this Bill. This Bill is scheduled to be discussed at a Committee that is chaired by the Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs, and co-chaired by Mr. Kenyatta on Tuesday, next week. I concur with Mr. Muite that, having read the Bill carefully myself - and you know I read Bills fairly carefully - I have no doubt whatsoever that once this Bill is discussed at that Committee, it will radically change in content and character. I want to urge my colleague, the Minister, that having agreed at the meeting to step down the Bill - and that is why it was stepped down - we should continue stepping it aside until we deal with it on Tuesday. Only then should it be brought here for debate. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me plead that we have a bi-partisan approach to this issue. We are dealing with a matter of Constitution, which is not an issue of that side or this side. It is an issue for the country. I am speaking from this side, being an Assistant Minister of Government, but also being a chair of the sub-committee of the Committee chaired by none other than the Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs. He chaired the meeting that directed that the Bill be stepped down. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to second."
}