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{
    "id": 225882,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/225882/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 8,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Speaker",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Order, hon. Members! Please, take your seats! There is just one small matter that I would like to bring to the attention of the House clearly. In the last few days, hon. Members may have been reading in the Press my attempt to draft some rules for the consideration of the House to initiate a way in which we could elect our representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly. The background is the following: That, upon the East African Court of Justice in Arusha declaring our election rules null and void, it simply means that this House does not have rules for the election of hon. Members to the East African Legislative Assembly as required by Article 50 of the East African Treaty for East African Co-operation. Because we do not have those rules and because nobody, until the time I initiated that initiative of putting in place our rules, had made any suggestions, as the head of this institution, I did make suggestions and I called them \"Draft Rules.\" That was my thinking. I wrote to the Leader of Government Business, the Minister in charge of matters of East African Community, to the Attorney-General and the Chief Government Legal Advisor, to the Deputy Leader of Government Business and Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, to the Leader of the Official Opposition, Mr. Kenyatta, and Mr. Nyachae, being a leader of a party entitled to nominate a Member to that Assembly. I asked them to have a look at what I have thought and which could be a basis of making the rules. In fact, I told them: \"Here are my thoughts, please make your comments and your input and forward them to me so that I can work on a further and probably better document that could be presented to the House Business Committee for allotment of time for this House to discuss whatever rules there will be.\" Hon. Members, you know that every matter that is brought to this House is subject to the rules of procedure. That includes the power of the House to, first, amend those rules by way of substitution, deletion or addition. This House could also reject any rules that are brought before this Assembly. Upon those rules being cleared by the House in whatever format, they will deem fit, then those rules will be the basis upon which an election will be held. There is nothing \"Kaparo\" about those rules. I think the only \"Kaparo\" thing about those rules is that, for the time being, the Speaker bears the name Kaparo. That should be a suggestion to the House as the way forward. I hope hon. Members are not going to criminalize initiative and thinking. I hope that this House will encourage initiative and thinking. It looks to me that some 636 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 17, 2007 sections in our society think that it is criminal to think. If that be the case, I will be very much ready to be associated with the crime of thinking."
}