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{
    "id": 718237,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/718237/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 181,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Chanzu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 11,
        "legal_name": "Yusuf Kifuma Chanzu",
        "slug": "yusuf-chanzu"
    },
    "content": "are walking just by sheer coincidence. The body is very funny. Sometimes you find somebody looking at you and seeming upset. The best thing is to apologise very quickly if it was not deliberate. With regard to indecent assault, we have had cases where even boys are assaulted indecently. It is important. This matter cannot just stop here. You may find that the situation that arises or comes up for prosecution might be totally different from the guidelines that you have set. For example, Hon. Florence, with all due respect, the boys in your area may have done well in the exams. As the Member of Parliament for the area, you may hold them like that and some of the mothers may feel offended but the boys may feel very happy. It also depends on the circumstances. When it comes to the issue of rape, I also heard some of my colleagues talk about the police stations. From what I have seen, having been here for a long time representing my people from 1997, our police stations are not handling cases well. This is not only the cases of rape. Even a case where somebody has been arrested and suspected to have committed an offence, sometimes they take the law into their hands and torture the person instead of trying to find a better way of extracting information and getting evidence. We need to take seriously these laws that affect the people and even refine them not only through this. The police need to be taken for regular training. These days, I see that they are even being influenced by politicians. If they assault somebody who is your supporter and there is another politician who is involved, it now depends on who means what to them. There are laws that we need to review all the time. I am very happy when I see some of our colleagues here like Hon. Florence Mutua moving this Bill because it is a nuisance, particularly to those people who cannot afford the fines. We are talking of a fine of Kshs500,000. Another thing I have also seen also in this country is that we have made it very expensive for ordinary Kenyans to access justice. In a case where somebody has done something, you have to go and engage an advocate who is asking for money, filing fees and all those things. When you add them together, it is quite expensive. In a way, we should also make justice cheaper. In fact, as Members of Parliament, before we break for the election, we should introduce some laws which can bring down these incidences. Chapter Four of the Constitution on the bill of rights says that Kenyans are entitled to justice but it is too expensive. It is like somebody telling you that there is chakula here but he puts it at a height that you cannot access. The cost of justice is an issue that we have to review in due course. The other thing I was also looking at is malice on the part of the complainant. That is a matter which should be looked into. Recently, I noticed that the President commuted the terms of those who had been sentenced to death. I have watched some of them who have stayed in Kamiti Maximum Security Prison on television narrating their experiences and saying that although they have been sentenced to life in jail, they did not commit the offence. The level of proof---This is the reason why I believe that there should be public awareness. If people who have been assaulted can avoid some of those places, it will be much better. When it comes to the level of proof, somebody can just frame you. I have seen some cases in the media where somebody frames a Member of Parliament because they imagine that MPs earn a lot of money. They frame somebody as having impregnated a girl or something like that. The malice aspect is one that we need to address. Those who will be looking into these 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."
}