Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 692202,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/692202/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 153,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr.",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13156,
        "legal_name": "Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
        "slug": "mutula-kilonzo-jnr"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Bill. Clause 22 has not been highlighted yet it is very important. In Clause 22 the Committee proposed a timeline for the prosecution of these offences to be 12 months. Under Clause 23, it was proposed that there will be special magistrates and special courts, the same way there are special judges to hear election petitions. There will also be timelines so that the persons who commit election offences are prosecuted within the five-year period, so that this is not used against them in the future. More importantly, the punishment that is supposed to act as a deterrent for the next election should be meted as quickly as possible. I am extremely happy with Clause 19; aiding and abetting of offences. For those who have any doubt, this is not the national Government; it is also county governments. Therefore, all those ward administrators, village elders and village administrators who purport, pretend or imagine that they will participate in an election for purposes of entrenching existing public officials, including governors and others, will have a rude shock. They will be liable for a penalty and conviction not exceeding Kshs1 million. I do not want to belabor the point. The Election Offences Bill was there before. I am not sure about the wisdom of removing it from the law in the last general elections, but this is the way to sanitize the elections in Kenya. Under Clause 12, jail awaits the officials from security agencies who pretend and act as polling clerks or presiding officers. I have a feeling that several people are going to serve jail terms under the new Elections Offences Bill. Therefore, the caveat emptor is out for any person who wants to interfere with the election equipment and electronic transmission like it happened in the last general election. Their time is up and their prison uniform is ready. I support."
}