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{
    "id": 543122,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/543122/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 181,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Mwaura",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13129,
        "legal_name": "Isaac Maigua Mwaura",
        "slug": "isaac-mwaura"
    },
    "content": "be dismayed for I am with you.” I want to say this: The Lord God that we serve, He who gives people a chance to procreate naturally and get a child, is also the one who has given this new knowledge to help those who have been crying for so long to get children. If we were to speak about the misuse of this technology, it is true it can happen but is it not also happening to those who are misusing the natural procreation by giving young girls and women children and then they abandon them? It is happening. So, how are we regulating that? I am dismayed that in this House people can very arrogantly sometimes say that this is for women and this is for other people. Is it just because they have children? Nobody gives themselves a child. In fact, the natural act of procreation does not in itself guarantee having a child even when there is no problem at all. That therefore means that in whatever means possible we need to bring on board the minority if at all women, men and families that for so long have been looking for opportunities to ensure that they have a child. I would want to imagine that the spillover effect of this Bill would be that the cost of such alternative means of having children will go down. Families will not have to cough a lot of money just to get children. If you look at the reasons given by the Departmental Committee on Health with regard to why this Bill should not be passed, I beg to differ on three key issues. First, they propose that this particular aspect of health should be relegated to regulations of a Bill that is yet to be brought before the House. This is a very important aspect of human development. In my view, if you look at the listing of the countries that have been enumerated here, quite a number of them including South Africa have a stand- alone legislation concerning human fertility. Secondly, when they say that these will be adequately covered by the draft Bill, what is that adequacy? Is it a simple article such as Article 163? You cannot cover this subject within a simple article and then you delegate any other form of legislation to regulations that will emanate from the Cabinet Secretary (CS). Indeed, the fact that we have heard submissions on the Floor of the House to the effect that we have been waiting for a Health Bill for so long, we may as well wait for it forever and that will never happen in this House. We do not want to be beholden to the politics of health matters within the Ministry. We have also noted a tendency by the Departmental Committee on Health. There are quite a number of Private Members Bills including one by hon. Jared K’opiyo and other Motions that are always opposed and I am asking why? Is it the entitlement of those who are doctors feeling that they are the only ones who can deal with health matters? I beg to differ because health is not medicine. We are the users. When I look at hon. Millie Odhiambo and my friend hon. Joyce Lay, they are speaking from experience. How would you take four good years to get a certification of your own child - a product of your own reproduction? There are genuine concerns that have been raised with regard to the scope of this Bill but this can be addressed at the amendment and Committee stage. I would want to imagine that the Mover of this Bill is open to such suggestions that we can sit down even with the experts within the Departmental Committee on Health and propose clauses that would deal with the concerns raised by whoever, but to come and tell us that this Bill may as well give opportunities to homosexuals to get children, for me is completely alarmist. 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."
}