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"id": 50283,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/50283/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Bahari",
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"speaker": {
"id": 156,
"legal_name": "Abdul Bahari Ali Jillo",
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"content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, thank you for this opportunity. This is a very important Bill because it is the one which is going to determine the future of this country. It is important because we can see what is going on across the continent, which is very worrying. When Kenya went through the last general election, what happened, which is known to everybody, left a very big dent on the history of this country. It left a very big dent on the international relations of this country. We went down very badly in history. We have no room to do something like that again. For us to do that, it is a question of the process. The process of election starts with voter registration, civic education and the campaign period; all these stages must be seen to be free and fair. Kenyans are very good at some of those things, but in practice, we have done extremely badly. In fact, we must be ashamed, as a country, that the last elections went the way they went. It was an embracement. Indeed, we cannot justify our continued stay in this House as I speak. This is because if my party or your party cannot send an agent to my electoral area for fear of intimidation, and then you are saying you are conducting an election, what election is that? Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, on the basis of such an election, we claim to be in positions of responsibility. It is a shame! The entire electoral process must be protected. This is because it cost the whole country lives. We have seen it happening in Africa. Now whenever there is said to be an election in Africa, everybodyâs attitude is: âLet us wait and seeâ. I must say that incumbents must be very careful. Normally, they are the ones who significantly contribute to that. I am not saying that others do not do wrong also. However, the incumbents say, âBy all means I have to be thereâ. It is also extremely dangerous. I must say that the next electoral commission must prove beyond doubt that they are capable of not being influenced and that they are capable of handling some of the big boys. They should not spare anybody. If they are going to be lenient, we will not go far as a country. You will be surprised that in some countries with a week to elections, you will not even know that there is an electioneering process going on. This is because it is done in a very civilized manner. All the hullabaloo we see in this country and money pouring do not happen. That is where we should aspire to be, as a country. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the next Commission, which we are just about to form, will have that serious responsibility. The entire environment during elections must be correct. I want to applaud my good friend, the Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs. The other day, he took one of the candidates in the Kamukunji by-election to task. I think on that, and any other matter that is constitutional, the Minister should not keep quiet. Indeed, he should be at the forefront of warning those who are bent on ignoring the Constitution of this country. It is not important for us to say that we have passed the new Constitution by such a majority, and then at the same time, leave it on the shelves without applying it. Indeed, some of these people should be getting a warning straightaway. They should get a reprimand and the possible action. If all of us want to be âgoodâ, then this country cannot go far, just like any other institution that cannot go far. The entire election environment must be seen to be free and fair. When it comes to the independence of the proposed Commission, it will have to be jealously protected. I want to warn hon. Members, who want to play partisan politics, that by the time they go to the elections, they will not be sure which party they will belong to. So, be careful and let us be fair. Let us be careful and fair. We have seen this in the past. You can be a very good buddy with the chair or the leadership of the political party now but wait until this Parliament is dissolved. Some of them will behave as if you have not even met before because they have already developed other interests. So, get out of that cocoon. We must stop manipulation. This business of saying âThis team serves my interestâ and, therefore, even when you have a point, you start manipulating it to reflect that localized interest will not enable us to go far"
}