Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 477029,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/477029/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 269,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Keynan",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 41,
        "legal_name": "Adan Wehliye Keynan",
        "slug": "adan-keynan"
    },
    "content": "was an article and whoever had authored it did not read this Bill; he used his own creative mind to speculate on issues that are not actually captured in this particular Bill. Nobody will be punished for not referring to a title holder by their title, and nowhere in this Bill is punishment spelt out. You will not be punished; if I am entitled to be referred to by whichever title and you do not use it, then you will not be punished. But, you will be punished if you give yourself that title because you will be masquerading. If, for example, you call yourself “His Excellency the President” and you know that certainly that title can only be enjoyed by one person in the Republic of Kenya, then you will be punished. Punishment can be a reprimand, or a severe reprimand; it can also include criminal prosecution. It is good to bring out this, because there was a misinterpretation. I want to repeat this, because I am sure whoever authored that article must be somewhere and is listening. Nobody will be punished for not referring to a person who is entitled to a particular title by that title. But if you say that you are the hon. Member, for example, for Tiaty Constituency and you know that there is only one elected Member for Tiaty until 2017, then that is a criminal offence. Once this is clearly understood, then everything else will be symbolic. Finally I want to say that democracy is extremely expensive, very challenging and very risky. At times Parliamentarians are seen nationally as individuals who are unnecessarily showy. We should be proud of the position. If we go by the content of that purported Gazette Notice--- I term it “purported” because we have challenged it in every way. I am sure you will eventually know that even the constitutional court actually agreed with some of our objections. You are aware that is now public information. A number of contentious issues were spelt out in that particular Gazette Notice. Once this is done, any other group that will come, whether it is going to be Sarah Serem’s Salaries and Remuneration Commission, the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) or any other group, there will be consistency and predictability, and all this will be anchored in the law, and in the the creative minds of individuals, who may in the past have tried to be elected but found it very difficult to get an opportunity either because of their own omissions, or because the people thought otherwise. These are the realities that we must address; please Members, I want you to feel free. This is a Bill that is tailor made to really determine how some of our public functions are actually supposed to be managed. I am sure once it is enacted each one of us, regardless of our positions, will enjoy their particular position; they will use all the titles and other amenities that are supposed to come with their particular title. Having said this, I want to appreciate the comments by the Administration and National Security Committee; whatever they have proposed has actually enriched the Bill; I am sure once it is enacted, it will really guide everybody. At this juncture, I want to ask hon. Ochieng’ to second. Thank you, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker."
}