Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 486095,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/486095/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 216,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Gikaria",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2489,
        "legal_name": "David Gikaria",
        "slug": "david-gikaria"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Speaker, the Inspector-General (IG) should train police officers on family matters. I think that is something very important. Sometimes you find that the person you are going to report to is himself a victim or an aggressor. Therefore, it is important to have trained police officers who can address these issues as and when sexual offences are reported. This law is important and very good, where the Inspector-General will train officers who will handle such kinds of issues. Of course, we have seen within the police stations there is a children’s department. This is positive for us to have a place where people can report. Hon. Speaker, under Section 9, if a victim is a child, woman or somebody who cannot report the matter, any person within the neighbourhood who comes across any kind of domestic violence can report to the police station. That is a good move and a welcome idea. It is not the vulnerable and those who are voiceless who can report, somebody within the community can go and report that matter to the police. With regard to Section 14, this is something that we need and we will be asking the Committee to look at it; the application without notice for a protection order. The Act stipulates that the court can sit outside the working hours or outside the court hours and also outside the normal working days. These are issues we used to see during President Moi’s era, where people were being taken to court at midnight or on Sunday and get charged. Of course, there are those very specific instances where it can happen, but issues to do with reporting imminent harm, threat or physical threats; somebody can be kept within the police station until the courts sits and determines the matter. Otherwise, if we give leeway to courts to sit outside the working hours or days; for example, Saturdays or Sundays, that is very dangerous. Of course, the issue of counselling is a welcome idea. If you look at Section 23 on enforcement, it says that within five years that a protection order has been given, if you violate it policemen can arrest you. Section 24 talks about the court determining the period of protection. Assuming that it was given as two years, and after three years you interfere with the protection order--- We need to be very specific. It should be left open without---"
}