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{
    "id": 718946,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/718946/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 63,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Mulu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1955,
        "legal_name": "Benson Makali Mulu",
        "slug": "benson-makali-mulu"
    },
    "content": "As we move forward, we need to borrow best practices from other countries. If we had what we call an integrated comprehensive registration system, we would come up with a system where once you are born, you get your birth certificate. Immediately you reach 18 years, your Identity Card (ID) comes out automatically. So, you are given your ID. As a country, I believe we need to have voters card and an ID. Why do we not come up with legislative framework where once you get an ID, it becomes your voters card? That is so that you just produce your ID and you vote. If we go that way, we will be going through what we call best practice. That is what I would push for. The other thing is, you know, every Kenyan is entitled to a political right. The political right is that they are entitled to vote. The problem with most Kenyans is that we want to enjoy the results of these political rights and we do not want to participate in making sure that the benefits come to the table. That is why I think it is time Kenyans went out there, got voters cards and voted. The other day, in my constituency, I demanded that for university students to get bursary, it is important they produce voters card so that we know whether they belong to Kitui Central. That is the only way I can know because it is an urban constituency. Many people were complaining that I was forcing them to get the voters card. I asked myself how I would know whether one came from Kitui Central which is an urban constituency and yet he or she did not have voters card. I have everybody in this constituency. I have people from North Eastern; I have people from Nyanza; and, I have people from Central Kenya in my constituency. The only way I can know they belong to that constituency so that they benefit from the bursary is through the voters card. But, Kenyans think that when you get voters card, it is to elect them. That is not the case. It enables you get the best leader. It also enables you to practise your political right. Even as leaders, we need to challenge ourselves. I think leaders have contributed to the fact that voters are not keen to get voters cards. When people elect leaders like us they have expectations which we fail to meet and that is why 70 per cent of us go home every five years. Voters have reached a point where they wonder whether there is need to elect somebody who will not bring change to their lives. I think that is an issue we need to address in this country as leaders. We all agree that poor leadership will always contribute to poor turnout of voters; voters have no motivation to get out of their house, walk that long distance and make sure they go and vote a Member of Parliament or Governor if these people are really not meeting their expectations. As leaders, we need to challenge ourselves and make sure that, once you are elected---"
}