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{
    "id": 50266,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/50266/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 384,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. ole Metito",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Regional Development Authorities",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 199,
        "legal_name": "Judah Katoo Ole-Metito",
        "slug": "judah-ole-metito"
    },
    "content": "Clause 5 of the Bill talks about the composition and appointment of the Commission. We have countries with bigger populations and bigger territorial jurisdictions, which have very few commissioners. In India, there has been one electoral commission for a long time with three commissioners. Australia also has three commissioners. In the Kenyan fashion, we seem to have very large commissions. Even though the Constitution provides that this Commission should have a minimum of three commissioners and a maximum of nine commissioners, there is no need for us to always go for the highest number. We can even have three commissioners for an efficient Commission. There have been considerably big problems with big commissions. We have problems of expenses and slowing down decision-making. There is greater factionalism in bigger commissions than in small commissions. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is the issue of always trying to satisfy the diversity of our country. It is important to appreciate the fact that a diversity of more than 40 ethnic groups cannot be accommodated by the nine positions provided for by the Constitution. We can satisfy that wider ethnic diversity through appointments to other institutions. In this case, we need a lean policy-making commission with a membership of three. We can make all the three full-time commissioners. That brings us to the issue of having non-executive chair and deputy chair. That leaves the Commission with a vacuum. Who will be in charge of the Commission? In my humble opinion, I want to suggest that the chairperson of the Commission should be the face of the Commission, and as such the spokesperson of the Commission. That can only be possible if he is an executive chairman. So, we should have full-time executive commissioners. In my view, three commissioners can provide good service to this country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is the issue of qualifications of the chairperson of the Commission. We have provided in this Bill that the chairperson of the Commission should be a person who is qualified to hold the office of judge of a superior court. We further say that other commissioners should have qualifications in electoral matters, management and the like. We are creating a law to ensure that you can only be the chairman of this Commission if you are a lawyer, or if you have a legal background. We have many successful Kenyans whose professions are management, finance, banking, public administration, et cetera . These are persons who can become---"
}