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{
    "id": 221312,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/221312/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 263,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. J.K. Koech",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for East African Community",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 310,
        "legal_name": "John Kipsang Koech",
        "slug": "john-koech"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I was saying that, according to our practice - that is the Executive, once the Cabinet has ratified international treaties, they become binding. That is the position even with this treaty. According to the Vienna Convention, a treaty is considered ratified or amended when the Head of State or the Minister for Foreign Affairs of a country has signed the instruments and May 16, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1369 deposited the same with the relevant bodies such as the EAC. What has been done so far is legal. Let us be very clear. Let us not cause confusion. Let us give Kenyans the right information. If there are some things which hon. Members want to do, they can take them up with the relevant authorities in this country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, Paragraph six of Article 150 on Amendment of the Treaty says:- \"Any amendment of this Treaty shall be adopted by the Summit and shall enter into force when ratified by all the partners States.\" So, as far as the amendment of the Treaty of the EAC is concerned, it has gone through the right channels. It went to the Cabinet and it was ratified. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has deposited the instruments of ratification with the Secretary-General. That is the way all the treaties have been done. That is the right procedure. So, there is no role that this Parliament plays. We should not continue cheating the nation that we did the ratification wrongly. The Attorney-General is required, by an Act of Parliament, to give notice of ratification. That was done. All the gazette notices normally come to Parliament. Everything has been done according to the procedures which are respected in this country. Let me appeal to hon. Members not to bring a lot of wrong sentiments into this issue. Let us not give Kenyans wrong information. We all know, for example, the nomination of members to the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) was done according to the procedures adopted by this Parliament."
}