Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 262082,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/262082/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 471,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, we then come to Part 4 which deals with the electoral wards. This is something that the taskforce looked at very carefully. In Article 27, the taskforce recommended that there should be not more than 1,450 electoral wards for the purpose of election of the county assembly. I would like to just remind the hon. Members where we are coming from. In the traditional format of what we have today, we have about 3,200 civic leaders in 175 local authorities. Now, on the basis of this, just by a sheer rule of thumb, the taskforce was working on the basis that looking at issues of population and what the Constitution says. They recommended a basic approach that would give roughly five wards in each constituency; give or take some adjustments. Indeed, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has produced that and so, will not want to belabour too much. But the rationale here was that we should have county assembly members who are better remunerated and then they have a greater task to deal with and fulltime assignment. What we have had through the traditional system is that civil leaders have been very poorly remunerated. In fact, they just live on allowances. We all know what has happened to our local authorities. I do not want to belabour that, but would like the hon. Members to look at this very carefully and support it, so that at any one time, we have a functioning entity and better remunerated people. This will even attract more dynamic individuals throughout the Republic who have been shying away from playing a role to participate in the elective process, so that they can contribute in this area. So, hon. Members, once again, I bring this to your attention, but even the criteria and how it is arrived at is spelt out in Part IV."
}