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{
    "id": 69025,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/69025/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 456,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. M. Kilonzo",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 47,
        "legal_name": "Mutula Kilonzo",
        "slug": "mutula-kilonzo"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I want, first of all, to salute this Committee for coming forth with this very good work. It is, in itself, a landmark because it is, in fact, a continuation of the process of Parliament approving the Executive and other appointments. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to remind the country about the story of Anita Hill in the USA, when she went and challenged a judge making serious allegations and, in the process, the judge was confirmed. That judge has now stood out as, perhaps, one of the single most very important judges on the Conservative side of the American system of Government. Therefore, I would like to say that, subject to the representative of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), I think Parliament should accept the work of the Committee although I join those who say that we need a very clear law as to how this vetting should be done. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to express my concern that when these people were called in, the Committee proceeded to hold its hearings in camera. That is a violation of the Constitution. It is essential that Parliament bears in mind the provisions of Article 215 of the Constitution that state that when Parliament conducts any business, either in plenary or as Committees, then those proceedings be held in public. Secondly, the Committees of the House now have got the power of a Judge of the High Court to commission oaths. Therefore, as long as my learned friend of the LSK is comfortable with the allegations and knows what to do with them, I think they should proceed. The other is with regard to the issues that the Committee is bringing forth of the acting advocates. I think we are making a mistake. I think it would be unconstitutional to start putting roadblocks in front of Kenyans who want to practise or want to do anything here and there. I want to tell this House without fear that the Israeli Judiciary is, perhaps, the single strongest judiciary anywhere in the world. Israel has had a coalition government since 1948. Right now, it is a coalition government of seven political parties, and yet a Committee such as the one we are approving today is shared by the Minister for"
}