Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 393216,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/393216/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 182,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Abass Mohamed",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2983,
        "legal_name": "Abass Sheikh Mohamed",
        "slug": "abass-sheikh-mohamed"
    },
    "content": "birth certificates; their grandparents’ identity cards, et cetera. These are colonial requirements and a violation of the rights of such Kenyans. Another thing is that there is no need for an age bracket for one to be registered. What happens is that Kenyans nowadays go to school early. At the age of 16, they have already completed fourth form. They want to join university. They want to get registered and access bank loans but they cannot get identity cards due to the age limit. In pastoral areas, ladies are married very early; at the age of 15 or 16 years, they are already mothers. Unfortunately, when they go to seek identity cards later in life, they are told that they are over age. So, we get surprised. If you are a Kenyan citizen, you have a right to be registered and possess an identity card. What is the purpose of having age limits then? That is very wrong. Identity cards have become a useful tool, especially during political campaigns. All the contestants want to outdo one another. It has now become an item of oppression where a candidate for a political seat may not be able to get registered members. It has now become an offence not to carry an ID Card. People are scared! I think an ID should not be used to deny somebody his right. It should not be used to violate people’s rights. It should be something simple that every Kenyan can access. We need to decentralize the issuance of ID cards. The idea of processing IDs for Kenyans in Nairobi is not right. We need to decentralize this thing so that every county is able to issue its own IDs and then we have one data base for bio-data. As we approach elections there is always mass registration of voters who are then issues voters cards. All Kenyans should be coming out in masses to register for IDs. We have people who are, say, 80 years old who have been unable to get IDs. They argue that there are people who are younger, say, 40 years who have been unable to get the IDs. We need to have a well developed system. Some Kenyans are forced to go across the border to get IDs and Passports. This is what makes our youths engage in criminal acts. It has to be discouraged. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, with those few remarks, I beg to support the Motion."
}