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{
"id": 282620,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/282620/?format=api",
"text_counter": 180,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Raila",
"speaker_title": "The Prime Minister",
"speaker": {
"id": 195,
"legal_name": "Raila Amolo Odinga",
"slug": "raila-odinga"
},
"content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I decided that I use the time to give a comprehensive response to this Question. Article 4 of our Constitution declares the Republic of Kenya to be a multi-party democratic State founded on the values and principles of democracy, participation of the people, good governance, integrity, transparency and accountability, among others. Our Constitution outlines in Article 81 the principles of our electoral system which includes free and fair periodic elections by secret ballot, free from violence, intimidation and improper influence or corruption conducted by an independent body and administered in a transparent, impartial, neutral, efficient, accurate and accountable manner. The number of elective political positions open to competition in the next general elections will be one President, 47 governors, 47 senators, 47 women representatives, 290 Members of Parliament and 1,450 county assemblers. There will be roughly 18 million voters, 45,000 polling stations, 350,000 election officials, 100,000 security officers, 380 tallying centres at constituency, county and national levels and 47 voting points for the diaspora. In assessing the state of our national electoral preparedness, we must examine the prevailing political environment and review the state of the laws that regulate elections including the judicial mechanisms for prompt and impartial adjudication of electoral disputes. Equally important is to consider the level of preparedness of both the institutions that manage elections and political parties. The extent of enfranchisement must also be assessed. The ability of the national security organs to guarantee peaceful and orderly elections and the degree of involvement of the civil society and the international community in observing and monitoring the elections must also be assessed. Let me acknowledge from the outset that certain uncertainties remain with respect to the state of the national electoral preparedness. The date of the next general elections, delimitation of the new electoral units, issuance of identity cards to all eligible voters, establishment of clear judicial procedures for dealing with electoral disputes, the operationalization of gender balance requirements in the elective offices, entrenchment of vetting process for the aspirants of political office, compilation of the final voter register, enactment of the rules and regulations on independent candidates and reform of the Kenya Police Service all remain pending. This august House, the Judiciary and the Executive have the important roles in addressing the uncertainties mentioned above. This House has enacted various pieces of legislation on elections. This includes: The Elections Act, The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act, The Political Parties Act, The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Act, The Kenya Citizens and Foreign Nationals Management Service Act, The Kenya Citizens and Immigration Act, The Supreme Court Act, The Transition to Devolved Governments Act, The National Police Service Act and The Independent Policing Oversight Authority Act. Several laws relevant to the elections have not been enacted. This includes The Campaign Financing Bill, currently undergoing stakeholder consultations and The County Governments Bill which has been referred back to Parliament by the President. There is also The Leadership and Integrity Bill currently being finalized and The Assumption of Office of The President Bill pending publication. There is also The National Security Council Bill and The National Intelligence Bill currently being drafted. I table here a matrix on the enactment of the laws to implement the new Constitution."
}