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{
    "id": 56905,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/56905/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 496,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Abdikadir",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1,
        "legal_name": "Abdikadir Hussein Mohamed",
        "slug": "abdikadir-mohammed"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker. Let me thank all the hon. Members who have contributed great and wonderful points on this matter. On behalf of the House, I undertake to take that information and the congratulations of the House to the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution. Since I do not have much time I will respond to one or two issues and then move ahead. First, on the issue of the debate on gender, I think it is a very critical debate. I do not think it ought to be lost in the very robust discussions that we had between hon. Members. I think it is important to note that women constitute more than 50 per cent of our population. It is also important to note that, that category of our society has had a history of marginalization. Structural issues exist that make it difficult for them to compete because of the long history of marginalization. I think it is important to note that it is a constitutional requirement that we have gender equity in the country. It is because of that reason that part of the discussion that we had in the Committee, we indicated that we should point out and highlight that we should encourage more of our women to apply for these jobs because merit requires that. Merit is not just about the number of degrees you hold. Merit is also the make-up of those Commissions. If the commission is only made up of men, it is not meritorious. This is because the Constitution requires as part of merit, that we must have gender equity and constitutionalism. It is because of that reason that we, as a Committee, should encourage women to apply. I really want that message to be heard that more of our women should be encouraged because now the door is open. I would understand that because of historical background one would wish to shy away. But now is the time. So, they should seek the constitutional offices. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, on the issue of the fact that we do not have Bills, I know the Minister works very hard. I personally know because we co-ordinate fairly closely. They say in the US Congress, flow time is gold. We have spent three weeks. This is the third week closing without any Bill here. By the time we were re- opening this session, everybody knew we needed Bills on implementation of the Constitution. They have not come. That is really a fact. As I speak today, we do not have any Bill on implementation from any of the State organs, irrespective of whether it is the CIOC, the Ministry of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs or the Attorney-General. I think we need to push that well. I want to encourage the Treasury because in the Supplementary Budget they did, indeed, pass more than Kshs4 billion for the constitutional reform process and that has been one of the holding issues with Agenda 4 Item. On the issue of Private Members’ Bills, the CIOC did request us that in view of the fact that the Constitution requires these Bills to be looked at through the CIOC and other entities of implementation, we ask our legal counsel in Parliament that if there are Private Members’ Bills, they also get to see that Parliament undertakes that process. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, on that score, I beg to move."
}