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{
    "id": 303062,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/303062/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 400,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Wamalwa",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 148,
        "legal_name": "Eugene Ludovic Wamalwa",
        "slug": "eugene-wamalwa"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, perhaps, if the hon. Members were patient to allow me move, then they would get all the facts. I was first laying basis for extension and it comes through the amendment provided under 4(a) that we recently passed allowing for three months. It requires that after the extension that we proposed under 4(a), the Commission is now required to submit this report to the National Assembly. This was done on 15th June and there is a specific request from the TJRC to the National Assembly together with a progress report that is outlining the progress made so far. I will, of course, take hon. Members through it because I needed to tell you what the TJRC has been doing, what progress it has made so far because you need to be satisfied, as a House, that, indeed, it is necessary to give this extension. This progress report gives the facts as to what has been done up to now and why the Commission is now seeking a further extension. This report is already before the House. After Mr. Speaker going through the request and the progress report, he approved this Motion and it is now upon the House after approval of the Motion by Mr. Speaker to approve the request. So it is really to formalize what we had already brought before the House. During the debate of the Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill I gave reasons as to why it was necessary to extend the term of the TJRC for three months. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in giving my reasons then, which remain the same now, we indicated to the House that, indeed, this Commission had been given time of two years to investigate and make recommendations. It was not possible to do this within the two years period that we had approved in the Act itself. After that, the Commission came before the House in June 2011 and requested for an extension of six months. This was subsequently granted and the six months went up to 3rd May as I had indicated. After I took over the Office, there was quite a bit of wrangling between the Chairman and the Commissioners. My first port of call as the Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, of course, was at the TJRC. My challenge to them then was that “if you cannot reconcile your differences as Commissioners who have been given the mandate to reconcile Kenyans, how are you going to do that?” Subsequently, the Commissioners and the Chairman were able to reconcile their differences and they were able to complete the hearings. As we speak today, they are in the process of preparing their report to this nation. This report will give this country a clear roadmap towards reconciliation. It is a report that has been made after very serious hearings which have been held across this country. Over 42,000 statements have been received by this Commission across the country."
}