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{
    "id": 456367,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/456367/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 432,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Kanyua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 981,
        "legal_name": "Priscilla Nyokabi Kanyua",
        "slug": "priscilla-nyokabi-kanyua"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, allow me to talk about my county; Nyeri County. As I wind up, in Nyeri County we have heard a lot of questions about women battering men and women who perpetrate gender-based violence. As I have said before, I want to say again that that is not the truth. In fact, in my county we have many happy marriages. My parents and many others live together happily. All the colleagues that we know continue to be in real happy marriages. But again, the question of gender-based violence starts being addressed by having a good marriage law. A good marriage law allows parties to live in peace, harmony and with the rights and obligations of both parties. I am also speaking to the people of my county that this particular law is going to help us look at questions of our marriages and our families. If you look at the law in terms of allowing divorce, we got to have reconciliation first; divorce is not the first option. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, what we have in this Bill is a requirement for reconciliation; bringing other partners, the church, other families and other members who can help arbitrate disputes. We are hoping that with this law, we will actually begin to have marriages that are strong and not the bedrock of gender-based violence, so that we do not have violence in our families. A man and woman should voluntarily come to live together, get children and look for property to build our country. In that perspective, there ought to be no violence. But in the event that marriage is not working, there ought to be an exit clause. Nobody should kill another person because marriage is not working; there should be no loss of life in a marriage set up. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, this Bill is really celebrated in our country and I really cannot wait for us to finish the Third Reading for us to get this Bill assented by the President in order for us to have a new tone where our family laws are really well set. I want to tell hon. Members and the House that there is another Bill that is pending to complete the set of family laws. I am sure the former Minister of Gender and Social Welfare knows that we also had the Domestic Violence Bill. That is also going to be part of the Bills the Committee will bring to this House. In reply, I am really happy that the comments and the views that have been brought by hon. Members will be used to enrich the Bill and the Committee will also look into making sure that this particular Bill, when it is assented to is well implemented; the judges and everybody else interpreting our marriage laws would have an easier time and that we do not have the discordances we have had in the past. Everybody has the right and obligations. With those remarks, I beg to reply."
}