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{
    "id": 603475,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/603475/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 106,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ng’ongo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 110,
        "legal_name": "John Mbadi Ng'ong'o",
        "slug": "john-mbadi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this Bill by my good friend, Hon. (Ms.) Nyokabi. I want to join my colleagues in congratulating her for looking at the Bill of Rights, which is in Chapter IV of the Constitution, and coming up with a legislation that will help us actualise Article 35 of the Constitution – access to Information. After the enactment of the 2010 Constitution, I was sent to Malawi by the then Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Kenneth Otiato Marende, to represent him in a forum. As we were discussing the progressiveness of the Constitution of Kenya, especially with regard to the Bill of Rights, was hailed by the delegations across the Continent. Those who have read the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 could not fail to notice the progressiveness of the Bill of Rights. One Member of the Tanzanian delegation said that the Kenyan Constitution is impractical – that it is not possible to implement the Chapter on the Bill of Rights. I assured him and the rest of the delegation that we would strive to actualise and make practical this progressive Chapter of the Constitution. In that spirit, it is important that we commend Hon. (Ms.) Nyokabi for coming up with this legislation. As a country, we made very good progress. There were times when everything in this country was illegal and criminal. If you tried to associate, assemble or tried to get information, it was a matter of the State to either grant or deny the same at will. In my view, this Bill is progressive. As a House, we must pass it. However, I want to point out that I do not agree with the fact stated at the end of the Bill; that it does not concern the county governments. We should re-think about it and send this Bill to the Senate for consideration. Public entities include even the county governments. We will require information from the county corporations. This Bill does not exclude those institutions from providing information to any Kenyan. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the people of Kenya are empowered by the Constitution in Article 1. They should get information held by public or private entities. If you read the Chapter on public service, holding of public office or running a public entity, it should 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."
}