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{
    "id": 702002,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/702002/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 316,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ganya",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 18,
        "legal_name": "Francis Chachu Ganya",
        "slug": "francis-ganya"
    },
    "content": "the two-thirds threshold required to pass a Constitution (Amendment) Bill in the National Assembly. One way or the other, a decision had to be made. That day, a decision was made although it was in the negative. Our Constitution did not anticipate our Parliament to be a rubber- stamp Parliament. At the end of the day, a decision had to be made and it has been made. Our Constitution provides for many rights in the Bill of Rights. Have we realised all those rights five years down the road? I do not think so. This Constitution provides for adequate shelter, clean environment and access to clean water for every Kenyan. In some quarters like in the minority communities, the right to the Equalisation Fund, which even after we have passed a Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill in this Parliament, are yet to realize those funds five years later. I am talking specifically about the Equalisation Fund. It would be unfair for us to argue that all is lost. I served in the Tenth Parliament and we know how many women were in this House. Today, we have 47 gracious ladies from our 47 counties and 16 others elected in our National Assembly and equally, a good number in the Senate, although most of them are nominated. In our county assemblies today, the two-thirds gender rule has been realised. In my county, not a single woman was elected. But all the nominations, except for one or two, went to women. Today, we have two-thirds gender equity in our county assemblies all over the country. That is a realization of that gain. Equally, the numbers in this Parliament are by far better than what we observed in the Tenth Parliament. Having said that, it is true we are yet to realise the two-thirds gender rule. The Supreme Court advised that this can only be realised through a progressive formula. This Bill provides for us to come up with legislation that will enable us to realise this in the long term. I agree with my women colleagues that we must have a concrete timeframe within the laws that we are going to make here, to ensure that this is not in vain. I am sure the word ‘progressive’ means something. Once we are ready to do the actual legislation to realise what we are amending today in our Constitution, I am very sure very clear timeframes will be provided for because that is what the Constitution demands and it must be done. That must be done because that is not a wish of anybody here. It is actually the right thing to do and we must do it. I beg my colleagues, especially the female gender, to also be realistic. This country must move on at the end of the day. We have fought this battle. I have voted with them. I will still vote with them when it comes to the actual Bill, but not on this one. The country has to move on. I will not allow some civil society groups to go to court and disband the National Assembly of this country. There is so much that will be at stake, and that cost will by far outweigh the benefit we will realize from going on with this Bill and having this Parliament disbanded when we are in the wee hours of the Eleventh Parliament. The journey has started. I am very sure we have not realized what we wanted. I am sure my colleagues have really fought a hard battle and they have been hurt. This is a very sensitive political issue, even for our leaders in this country and in the campaigns. I am sure they are listening. We are all listening. I am sure we will realize what we need because a decision has been made. This is not a rubber-stamp Parliament. One way or another, a decision has been made. We voted with you; we stood with you. But I am sure we will still cross that bridge when the right time comes. I support this Bill, Hon. Deputy Speaker."
}