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{
    "id": 65502,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/65502/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 366,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mrs. Odhiambo-Mabona",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 376,
        "legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
        "slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
    },
    "content": "I want to thank the Minister for bringing this Bill at such a time when we are talking about issues of the Judiciary and separation of powers. I have worked for a long time on the issues of access to justice and reform of the Judiciary when I was in the civil society. I particularly worked in the programme called the Governance, Justice and Law Order Sector Reform Programme (GJLOs), that was working around issues of reforms of the Judiciary. That is why the Judicial Service Bill is necessary because it sets the stage and agenda for the reform of the Judiciary. I want to say that if there is one challenge that we face in terms of access and reforms in the Judiciary. There are many people who are unable to get access to the Judiciary. They include especially women and children. This is because of the perception that the Judiciary is corrupt. If the Judiciary is corrupt, then the children and women who are not financially endowed very often do not have access to justice. I mean children and women whose fathers and husbands, respectively, have refused to take care of them. We have many cases - and most of them have been in court for years and years – where women have been chased out of their homes with children. For many of them, if you looked at their cases critically, you will find that it was because somebody was compromised. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I started my legal career with the election petition court which was then one court. I am happy that even though our Judiciary is not where we want it to be, at least, a little has changed. But we do not want just a little but a lot. When I sat in that election petition court, I was shocked. I am sure Mr. Kombo cannot remember but I was a very young petite girl. I can see the Minister is nodding because he remembers very well. I was the one representing the Attorney-General and I sat through when his election was declared unconstitutional. I remember Mr. Kajwang abusing the judges together with his clients. He said that one day, he shall reform this country. I remember he came in a torn gown and as a young lawyer, I was looking at them. I looked at all those heavy weights and said: “Wow!” I did not know that one day, they will be sitting on the same side with Mr. M. Kilonzo as the Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs. So, indeed, it is something that is changing but we want more changes than what we are seeing. I also want to talk about what Eng. Maina said on the issue of renewal of our minds. I know that those who are calling for judges from outside the country--- It is not"
}