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{
    "id": 653611,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/653611/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 1036,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Eng.) Gumbo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 24,
        "legal_name": "Nicholas Gumbo",
        "slug": "nicholas-gumbo"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, let me start by thanking my friend who is the Member of Parliament for Nyeri County, Hon. Priscilla Nyokabi for valiantly making sure this Bill comes to the stage it is in. This is actually a constitutional Bill because it is what gives effect to Article 35 of the Constitution. It has had a lot of ping pong between the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology, the Attorney-General’s Office and Parliament. I am glad that finally we reach here and it has taken the efforts of a parliamentarian who believes that access to information is vital. But, as we do that, let us not disregard clear provisions of the Constitution. Our Constitution in Article 35(1)(a) is very clear that every citizen has a right of access to information held by the State. The Constitution is the fundamental law of the land. When we hear Government officials talking about information held by the State as inaccessible yet it is held by the State on behalf of the people of Kenya, it is unfair. When we hear a Government functionary saying that private information held by the State is hidden, it is a violation of the Constitution and I believe we have made provisions to remedy that in this law. That is so that action can be taken against such people. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker."
}