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{
    "id": 557051,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/557051/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 69,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Maanzo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2197,
        "legal_name": "Daniel Kitonga Maanzo",
        "slug": "daniel-kitonga-maanzo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker for giving me this opportunity. I want to support this Motion. It is true that what happened with the recent Marriage Act was an amalgamation of several Acts of Parliament. I have had opportunity to practise law in this area as a lawyer and after the amalgamation of the Acts, it was not automatic that the regulations were also amalgamated. Therefore, there is need for regulations to be made under this new Act by the relevant body, which, in this case, is the Attorney-General’s Office. When these regulations are made, they will come to the Committee on Delegated Legislation to counter check and make sure they are correct. The issue of regulation is good. There should be minimal trouble in getting these certificates. There are only twelve stations in the country where you can get a marriage certificate although I am aware that some bishops and pastors have been given authority and have been issued with the certificates. After they give us the certificates in church and after a wedding has been solemnised, the newly wedded couple has to move around to get the marriage registered. This is because other than having a marriage certificate, it must be registered. There is a process which begins from giving a notice in the stations. Trouble begins when somebody has to move to where the offices are no matter how far they are, first of all, to give notice. Notices are also announced in the local churches. As the Hon. Member has said, not everybody is a Christian or a Muslim. The Islamic Law has its own system of handling this. Many marriages under the Customary Law and Civil Marriages are conducted by people who do not necessarily attend church. Therefore, this is an issue. On top of this, there are also marriages which are conducted abroad. Somebody in South Africa, Egypt or a Kenyan living in West Africa who wants to conduct a marriage has to give an international notice from the country of origin. Once it gets to Kenya, it has to be processed. Again, this is a procedure which this Motion seeks to make simpler and better for everybody, so that we can achieve the goal of devolution which is the main theme in our new Constitution. Services should be brought nearer people. What happens is that one has to go through a process of issuing notice and that is where it begins. A certain number of days must expire before that marriage is conducted."
}