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{
    "id": 687109,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/687109/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 286,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Baiya",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 8,
        "legal_name": "Peter Njoroge Baiya",
        "slug": "peter-baiya"
    },
    "content": "will be scrutinised by members one by one. They will give themselves the opportunity to deal with the other larger issues, including those relating to the processes of nomination. I also want to take this opportunity to thank the Joint Select Committee for the good work it did in coming up with the reform proposals contained in this Report bearing in mind the tight timelines we have in the countdown to the next elections. I want to go on record by saying that as a country, we have the challenge to meet the tight timelines to ensure we are in ready to hold elections by August, next year. In the process of carrying out these reforms, one can also see that constraints have also come into play as far as the reform proposals are concerned. For instance, they have refrained from making any proposals that touch on the Constitution. One can also see that the scope of these reforms is basically geared towards facilitating free and fair elections in 2017. After that, they will pave way for the country to consider further reforms. It is particularly very instructive that the Committee has recommended we adopt the electronic biometric voter system. We may have challenges in some areas but the truth of the matter is that if we make it optional to carry out elections in any other way other than electronically, we will be giving opportunities or reason for excuses. It is time for us to make it mandatory that there should be electronic voting across all the regions. The Jubilee Government has had a programme of ensuring electricity is delivered to all public primary schools. We know that these are usually the voting places. If there is need for electronic transmission, it is important for that need to be underscored before that time, but there should be no recommendation for any manual system. The advantages of electronic-based systems like biometric voter registration and electronic voter identification were clearly underscored in the Kriegler Report to be the main foundation for guaranteeing free, fair, open and transparent elections. They will ensure that the country has an audit trail of who voted how. It will really be the basis of ensuring that we do away, once and for all, with the bad practices of ballot stuffing. This is the basis we will use to deliver results in a timely manner. It is very important that this has been accepted across the political divide and I urge that we do the relevant legislative proposals. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I also want to appreciate the political parties. They softened in some of the positions they had taken, including bringing in a referendum in recognition of the strict timelines that we are faced with. I urge members to appreciate the fact that adoption of this Report is not final. We will do the legislative proposals later on. We shall have the opportunity to scrutinise the legislative proposals with a toothcomb and make sure no legislation that will not help us is passed."
}