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"id": 304389,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Duale",
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"legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand to support this Bill. This is a very important Bill. Transfer of power from one Government to the other, all the world, particularly in Africa, has been an issue in terms of providing stability and peace to people in a country. This Bill provides a framework to facilitate an organized hand-over of power in a very peaceful manner. This will send a message to presidential candidates and political parties that Kenya has come of age; that Kenya respects the rule of law and that democratic elections must be respected across the board. Twelve years ago, one individual, hon. Sally Kosgei, single handedly did what we are proposing now in a piece of legislation. History must be told. In 2002, we know how President Kibaki took over power at Uhuru Park, where mud was thrown all over the former President’s body, where distinguished regional heads of State could not find a place to sit because of the chaos in a transition. We are happy that our country has come of age, that we have a legal framework that will create order, not only for the people, but even for investors, business people and our regional players, because Kenya is a business hub. Our neighbours will always want to see how transition from one regime to another will take place. This piece of legislation has come at the right time. It will open the door for a peaceful election and peaceful transfer of power. It will make investors have confidence in our country; those who are here will know that things will go as per the law. Our regional interests--- We have seen that the 2007/2008 scenario will not play out again. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Bill complies with Article 47 of the Constitution which says that the Head of State will be sworn-in in a public place and in the capital city where the date and venue will be gazetted legally and where the President- elect from the moment he is announced the winner will have the privilege to receive intelligence and all other reports. The technocrats, politicians and those who are in power from the time that the transition takes place who were used to enormous power will have no option when they see this law; that when the winner is announced, whether you were close to the former Head of State or the former Government, once the time reaches, you have to quit. We have 16 State officials who are mandated under this law to prepare for the transition. Out of the 16 State officials, three of them will be appointed by the President- elect and this gives confidence to even the incoming Government. That is why we are saying that with the new dispensation, those who are now holding key or strategic positions in the Government, for example, the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS) Director-General, the Chief of Defence - CGS and the Inspector-General of Police form the 16-member Committee to hold the first meeting that will be held one month prior to the elections. That will be on 4th February, 2013, God willing. We are saying that as State officials, they must respect the rule of law and this piece of legislation so that when time comes, they follow it in the transition of power. This will send a very good message to peace loving Kenyans who every year, when there is a transition of this type, their lives are lost and their properties destroyed, that disputed elections will not be the order of the day any more. Finally, the Bill has been anchored very well under Article 10 that this Committee will give all the security briefings to the President-elect. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support this Bill."
}