Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 688797,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/688797/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 338,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Midiwo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 184,
        "legal_name": "Washington Jakoyo Midiwo",
        "slug": "jakoyo-midiwo"
    },
    "content": "I thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I will not take too much time. I rise to support this critical Motion. I am happy that there are Members staying here to contribute. We did not just get here. The process of democratisation in our country has a very long history and many people have died in the process. We may be on two different sides, but I think sometimes it calls for us to see sense in what our people want, what we want to do and how we imagine our country to be 50 to 100 years from today. I think that is very important. I am very glad that Members agreed to the reasoning of the Speaker who issued a ruling. This was about IEBC. If I listened correctly to Hon. Njoroge, he really put us back on track on how this issue did not deserve to go the route it was going. We owe it to our people and to this country and its future. This cannot be a Jubilee and CORD affair. A good electoral system is good for democracy and for our future. I have stood here and said, and I want to say it again, that there are many people on this side that you will see on the other side in a few months. There are also many people on that side that will be on this side in a few months. All you need to do is to go to the lounge where Members take tea and see how they hate whichever side they are on. It is obvious. It is human nature. What should matter is the order that may lead us to the future. I have looked at the Report and there are a few things I would have done differently, but laws can be changed every six months. This is a good beginning, especially on these things that annoy us about elections, and not the composition of the IEBC. A law can be made today and be applicable tomorrow. We must look at whatever the Bills say. We will still come back here. I think this House must make sure that nobody has a reason to rig elections or fight after elections; that we can lead our country to the point where elections are done and people say; “let us move on; it is our country.” This being the first House under the new Constitution, it has to follow some rules. I am very happy. The issue which was being canvassed, and which Hon. Olago Aluoch amended is not small. I said yesterday that I believe it is unconstitutional. I have read the mandate of the Committee and whatever they were trying to do is not part of it. So, whether the argument is Jubilee or CORD, I know who did it because I saw the list of demands from both sides. However, that is an issue for another day. Let us put that behind us for now. What we should talk about now is how to marry our version with the Senate’s version. What do we want to do as the leadership of this country, and as a House in terms of moving forward to meet the timelines? It is good to thank the Committee for giving and taking. Less than three months ago, we were talking of how police were shooting our people. We were telling them to stop disobeying the law and that the IEBC must go. I only want to echo the sentiments of Hon. Wandayi and Hon. Kangogo. If you break the law, it should not be assumed that your crime will be negotiated in your favour. Whoever will become a member of the new IEBC must know that he or she is not above the law. It is wrong to say these people have not broken the law. There are audit Reports before the House. We have said, given the circumstances, let them go home, but on the rest of the issues, I think the Committee overstretched its mandate. For the Committee to do that, they are committing a crime of abetting a crime. It is not for Sen. Orengo or Sen. Kiraitu to know who is innocent. They are lawyers but not judges. That Committee was not a court of law. So, people 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."
}