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{
    "id": 486565,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/486565/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 259,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. A.B. Duale",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 15,
        "legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
        "slug": "aden-duale"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Speaker, a nation is defined by the family unit. This Bill concerns the family unit. A nation that does not believe in the values of the family and the family unit does not exist. If you read the Bible and the Quran, you will appreciate that nations which played around with family values were destroyed. We do not want the Kenyan nation to be destroyed. This is a nation which believes in the Almighty God. Some of the things that we want to create through legislation can be solved through our holy scriptures and through our cultural traditions. Is it just because we want to ape the western style of legislation? We should be very careful about how we create laws for the bedroom, the sitting room and the family. We must not play around with family values. Every community in this country has some very unique characteristics on how to deal with the family. We might think we are making this law to stop domestic violence – which I abhor and which we must fight. But this law might create upheavals in families. I am happy that the great Bishop on the other side of the House is nodding his head. He is a man of God. He understands what we are talking about. We must go and talk to Bishop Mutemi and the many sheikhs who are in this House, so that we can balance between the African traditional cultural norms and our religions. Hon. Speaker, in conclusion, there is something about stalking and verbal abuse. As the Member for Garissa Township, I will definitely bring a raft of amendments to this Bill. Clause 41 says where a victim of domestic violence suffers personal injuries, domestic to property or financial loss as a result of domestic violence, the court hearing a claim for compensation may award such compensation in respect of the injury or loss incurred. As much as we want to make this law, we also need to go back and ask ourselves one million questions. Are there other avenues that we can use to reduce and control domestic violence? We want harmony in our families. We do not want to use courts and jails to deal with societal issues. Societal issues must be dealt with elsewhere. In this House, we have one of the most respected elders from the Western Kenya region, namely, hon. Wangamati. I am sure that he is shocked. He must call a kamukunji, in consultation with the Bishop, with a view to bringing sanity to this House. Hon. Speaker, this Bill must be amended. We must bring a lot of practical amendments. With those remarks, I beg to oppose this Bill in its current form."
}