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{
"id": 541747,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/541747/?format=api",
"text_counter": 19,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Kinyua",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 2303,
"legal_name": "Peter Weru Kinyua",
"slug": "peter-weru-kinyua"
},
"content": "Thank you, hon. Speaker, I wish to present a Petition on a matter of the election of the Chairperson of the Agricultural Society of Kenya on behalf of one Mr. Joseph Gachagua, a resident of Nanyuki, Laikipia County. I want to draw the attention of the House to the following facts:- THAT, the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) was formed in 1901 with the central objective of promoting agricultural development in Kenya and falls under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries; THAT, the constitution of ASK provides that there shall be a national chairman who shall be elected after every five years by the central council among the members of the council; THAT, following complaints of massive irregularities from interested candidates in the elections that were scheduled to take place on 27th February, 2015, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries stopped the election and the Returning Officer categorically stated that the elections would not proceed until the cited electoral issues were addressed; THAT, contrary to the directions given by the Returning Officer, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the society purported to act as the returning officer and presided over the elections on 27th February, 2015 and declared one Justice Mrima, who also is a Magistrate of a Court in this country, as a successful candidate to the position of the Chairman of ASK in his absentia. THAT, prior to the elections, most of the potential candidates for the post of the national chairperson, including the Petitioner, had been suspended from the society on flimsy grounds to ensure that they did not challenge the preferred candidate on the said 27th February, 2015 elections. THAT, prior to the elections, the CEO and the outgoing Chairman of ASK had purported to amend the Elections Rules of 2009 which they posted on the ASK website without ratification by an AGM with clear intentions to favour Justice Mrima to enable him contest for the post; THAT, by a letter on 1st March, 2015, the Petitioner wrote a letter to the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries citing the developments and the Ministry wrote to the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) stopping an Annual General Meeting (AGM) that was supposed to be held on 9th April, 2015 so that a proper election could be conducted. THAT, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) defied those orders again and went ahead to hold the AGM on 10th April, 2015. THAT, Justice Anthony Mrima, in violation of Article 77 of the Constitution of Kenya which restricts a full-time State officer from participating in any other gainful employment, was ratified as the Chairman of ASK. THAT, taking into account the busy schedule bestowed upon the national Chairman of ASK, the Petitioner strongly feels that Justice Mrima is not capable of discharging his duties in that capacity. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}