Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 307488,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/307488/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 531,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Keynan",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 41,
        "legal_name": "Adan Wehliye Keynan",
        "slug": "adan-keynan"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I also want to join my colleagues. As a Committee, we have looked at this Bill critically with other players. This is a good Bill. It is a well intentioned Bill and it captures almost all the issues that our Kenya Defence Forces would have required. However, there are few challenges that, as Parliament, we must be willing to address. Gender equity is one of the issues that are enshrined in the Constitution. Again, if you go back to the history of our own armed forces, you will find that achieving the one-third aspect as required by the Constitution is a big challenge especially at the top echelons. This is one thing that we need to look at critically because if that will be subjected strictly to the gender issue as enshrined in the Constitution, I do not know how the institution will function. The other bit is what hon. Kiuna has pointed out. As the leadership of this country, we must be prepared completely to delink our armed forces from the politics of the day. They have been professional, are highly respected, have performed well in all international peacekeeping and have done this country proud. Therefore, it will not be in the interest of anybody whether the current regime or any other regime to sink the Kenya Defence Forces into the politics of the day. One of the reasons, and I am sure this will be captured in the amendments that we will bring, is that if that is done, they will continue to respect the civilian and they will not be part of the regional politics or politics of the day. They will be there for national interest and they will always be there to safeguard the national interests. This is one thing we must do as Parliament so that the Kenyan Defence Forces is clearly respected. The other issue that we need to look at is that our armed forces cannot be involved in assisting the local authority without the approval of Parliament. Again, this is in the Constitution. Other than in instances where there are natural disasters or emergencies."
}