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{
    "id": 599556,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/599556/?format=api",
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    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, I support this Bill because it attempts to do two things; first, it attempts to move the issuance of academic certificates to the DEO’s offices and not at the schools. It proposes that we should emboss certificates with photos. As I speak, there is a young Kenyan who has been watching these proceedings, called Kennedy Odhiambo Asowa who has sent me his details. He went to Migori Boys High School. Two years down the line, he has not been allowed to pick his certificate because he has been told that there were some miscellaneous fines that had been slapped on him. This is a son of a man who spent all his adult life being a cobbler in Migori Town and his son cannot get his certificate so as to pursue other economic activities. That is sad, wrong and unfortunate. I am glad that Sen. Musila has come up with this amendment. If you read the current KNEC Act, which my colleague Sen. Hargura has put out clearly, Section 1(d)of the KNEC Act already provides for this. When the Deputy President went around issuing the directive, that directive was backed up by law. When defining the functions of the Council, Section 1(b) of the KNEC Act states:- “The council shall award certificates or diplomas to candidates in such examinations. Such certificates and diplomas shall not be withheld from the candidate by any person or institution.” Madam Temporary Speaker, yet this young man called Kennedy Asowa has still not been given his certificate. The law says clearly that certificate shall not be withheld for any reason. This is one of diseases that are killing our country. That disease is called impunity. You have got a law that is so clear that certificates should not be withheld yet school principals and school administrators continue to hold onto these certificates, thereby denying young Kenyans economic and academic opportunities. This disregard for the law will bring this country down. When we legislate, we are not just legislating for the current moment. Sen. Muthama has said none of the senators here stand to benefit from this amendment, because to a great extent, many Senators will not find themselves in a situation where they have financial or fees arrears for their children. We need to address the issue of impunity. If Section 10(b) already says that a certificate shall not be withheld from the candidate by any person or institution, why then should we come up with a Bill to make it happen? What will be done for the DEO’s to comply? What will stop the The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}