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{
    "id": 643517,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/643517/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 123,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Dr.) Pukose",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1458,
        "legal_name": "Robert Pukose",
        "slug": "robert-pukose"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to support this Vetting of Judges and Magistrates (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No.5 of 2016). Based on the Vetting of Judges and Magistrates Act 2011, the Board that was formed was to vet judges and magistrates who were either on employment before the commencement of the Act or just at the commencement of the Act. We ask ourselves: After that, what happens to all the other judges and magistrates who have come in? Does it mean that they are not corrupt? Does it mean that they have no integrity issues? One of the biggest issues we need to look at as a House is this: We must have a system in place that can do regular vetting of judges and magistrates. That is because the current Supreme Court Judges, Judges of the Court of Appeal and High Court who have come after the Act have not been vetted. It does not mean that all of them are very clean. That is an issue that we should look at. The financial year of that Board ends on 30th June every year. Therefore, based on the estimates they have been given and the presentation of the Committee Chair, we know that the Board will perform up to the end of this financial year, which is June. We are within our mandate to give them three months for them to complete that work. The Vetting of Judges and Magistrates Act 2011 states very clearly that once somebody has served in the Board, he or she is not eligible for appointment to be in the JSC as a judge, magistrate or a judicial officer for a period of five years. That might be the reason why some of those officers have delayed finishing their report. Being excluded from employment for the next five years makes them decide to prolong their work. However, time is up for them. They must perform within the given period of time so that they deliver to Kenyans. We do not see why they cannot work from Monday to Friday from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., so that they can expedite those functions, finish them and submit their report. With those few remarks, I support this Bill."
}