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{
    "id": 670642,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/670642/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 243,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Gikaria",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2489,
        "legal_name": "David Gikaria",
        "slug": "david-gikaria"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. First and foremost, as we discuss the IEBC and in recognition of the two coalitions coming together and trying to agree on the aspect, there are some fundamental issues that we need to look into as Hon. Waiganjo has said. Looking at the mandate given to the Select Committee and the possible outcome, presumably, there will be some lacuna. I am a Member of the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee and recently, I had opportunity to listen to the Petitioner regarding the removal of the IEBC. He made it very clear that irrespective of the decision that we make and not following the Constitution, they will move to court. It is unfortunate that the talk of the IEBC is coming at the tail end to the electioneering period. It is also unfortunate assuming by whatever means there is no consensus. The Leader of the Majority Party and the Leader of the Minority Party will approve the final report yet they are not members of the said Committee. Rules are rules. It is important for those rules to be followed. If the Committee needed the approval of the two, then they ought to be members, so that they can append their signatures. That notwithstanding, it is important for us to look at the composition of the Committee. There are only three women out of the 14 Members of the Committee. That is a slap in the face of the women leadership in this country. There are so many other people who could have ceded their position just like Madam Sambili did by withdrawing her name because she comes from a different coalition. Had her name been mentioned as part of the Jubilee Coalition, she would have happily stayed in the Committee and shared her contribution. As Hon. Waiganjo said, everybody is trying to get space for re-election. We should go beyond that. Even the Jubilee Coalition is not happy with the current composition of the IEBC. I was not a Member of the 10th Parliament and, therefore, I am not privy to its proceedings, but it has been said that most of the current Members of the IEBC were from CORD. We would be happy to have these IEBC commissioners removed and have a more neutral commission that is not CORD-leaning. We hear that even the chairman himself was imposed by people in this Parliament. CORD has already agitated its position regarding the IEBC and the electoral process. I do not know what will be used to determine a person’s neutrality. The process of picking commissioners is enshrined in the Constitution. It is in our laws and we have to follow 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."
}