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{
    "id": 403569,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/403569/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 356,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Kang’ata",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1826,
        "legal_name": "Irungu Kang'ata",
        "slug": "irungu-kangata"
    },
    "content": "Another area that I would propose an amendment is Clause 5(3). It provides that the headquarters of the Council shall be in Nairobi. Why in Nairobi? You never know, after five years, the capital city of Kenya may be taken out of Nairobi. We have seen, for instance, the Machakos Governor coming up with funny drawings of a city. Maybe after five years, we shall all be going to the City of Machakos. In such instance, Nairobi may no longer be of use to us. This headquarters may as well go to the City of Machakos. You never know and it may as well come to Kiharu and Murang’a becomes the headquarters of Kenya. You cannot tell the future. So, therefore, this notion of fixing that the headquarters of the Council will be in Nairobi, to me, is very myopic. You never know what the future holds for this country. So, we should not fix in legislation the headquarters of a council. Another area we need to change, in my own opinion, is the composition of the Council as provided for by Clause 8. Well, I agree with Members. I do not see why the people who are going to the Council should be appointed by any one. We are in a democracy. We should allow journalists to vote for their leaders. We have seen situations in other professions where people vote. For example, in my profession, we vote. Before, I remember we used to vote through ballots. We would send ballots to the headquarters and there was a lot of corruption in that system. We had to fight to ensure that we have a more democratic system of voting in leadership at the Law Society of Kenya. In the same manner, I am of the view that we should allow journalists to elect members of the Council. Of course, I agree that we need to set the minimum requirements for a person to serve in a council. No wonder I am of the view that we need a person with a degree. Being a degree holder should be a prerequisite for one to serve in the Council. I do not see the rationale in appointing these people. The present law provides a Council that is overly controlled by the media owners; that is unfair. I would want a situation where the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) has more say at the Council as opposed to the present situation where you have KUJ and Media Owners Association with three members each at the Council and then one nominee from the Editors Guild. I also agree that the Cabinet Secretary should not be involved in the process of nominating and appointing members of the Council. Under Clause 9, we have qualifications of the people who are going to be in the Council. In other professions, for instance, you will see law, finance, gender, performing arts and so on. In my own The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}