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{
    "id": 580093,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/580093/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 224,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Okoth",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 12482,
        "legal_name": "Kenneth Odhiambo Okoth",
        "slug": "kenneth-odhiambo-okoth"
    },
    "content": "“The Green Amendment Campaign” to try to ensure that the two-thirds gender rule is achieved. As we get more women Members come to Parliament, this is important because we have seen crowds and demonstrators trying to intimidate Members of Parliament and occasionally harass them. We just want to make Parliament a safe and friendly space. Even where there are spaces for debate, all Members can feel safe. So, in that sense, I think it is a great thing. On the other hand, we do not want to cross our constitutional thresholds where we extend parliamentary immunity too far. Members of Parliament acting in their personal capacity and making mistakes should be held accountable. They should not use the institution as a shield from being held accountable for civil or criminal behavior in any other context. This Bill should be amended to make sure that the behaviors, duties and privileges it grants relate to the official and professional State duties of a Member of Parliament and not to their personal adventures out there and their business deals that have nothing to do with serving the State. With those few remarks, I look forward to the opportunity to propose some fine tuning amendments to take out elements that might be excessive and hope that we will move this thing quickly. Also, we will make sure that in future, more women Members of Parliament will enjoy these Parliamentary privileges and contribute to the leadership of our country when we get them elected through the Green Amendment Campaign."
}