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{
    "id": 576230,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/576230/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 105,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Aden",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 15,
        "legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
        "slug": "aden-duale"
    },
    "content": "Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to speak to this very important Bill. I support this amendment Bill. It is one aimed at ensuring that the basic democratic right of Kenyans to vote, under Article 38 of the Constitution, is guaranteed and voting as a process is made to be as comfortable as possible to allow most Kenyans vote. For that to be achieved, the timing must be right. Kenyans must get an opportunity to exercise this basic right at a time when they are most comfortable to do so. The month of August will come with a lot of disruptions especially in business compared to December. A time like this, which is in the middle of the year, businesses are in full operation unlike in December when many of the businesses close down for basic services. For instance industries close down for basic maintenance as employees are allowed to join their relatives and friends to go and celebrate their holidays. We saw what happened in March. Holding an election in August is going to be more disruptive to most of the businesses. Many people are at work during this time unlike December when many of the people will be free to enjoy their holidays and will have an opportunity to exercise their basic right. I come from the pastoralist region in northern Kenya. August is one of the most difficult months for the pastoralist communities in northern Kenya. It is a time that we need to move with our cattle and camels to look for pasture and water from wherever it will be available. It is not going to be a good time to vote because most of them will be on the move. For us, making the date of election to be in August will deny many of these people their basic opportunity and a right to exercise their right to vote. There will be disruptions to the budget process. This will be very serious not only to the functioning of the Government but to our economy as a whole. The Government is the largest spender and the one that controls the flow of cash into the economy. For that reason, if that process is in anyway disrupted it is going to impact, by and large, on the general economy. We do not want our elections to be a disruption to the economy, but we want them to be in a smooth time when Kenyans can exercise their basic right to vote. The best time will be in December. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I do not want to repeat the issue of disruptions to education because my colleagues, who have spoken before, have hammered on this issue very much. But the other very serious issue is the disruption to the high tourist season. For instance there is the issue Hon. Chepkong’a referred to. This is the time that we have the highest in-flow of tourist in this country. If this were to be made the election time, we all know most western countries put travel advisories around the election time in any country in Africa. So this will disrupt our economy and have serious impact. This amendment is good for Kenyans and for our democracy. The challenge is, once we pass and play our constitutional duty to give Kenyans an 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."
}