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{
    "id": 719056,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/719056/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 173,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Otucho",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 12837,
        "legal_name": "Mary Emaase Otuch",
        "slug": "mary-emaase-otuch"
    },
    "content": "think we should be addressing the real problems so that, for example, by the time students complete their fourth form, we should have a law in place that guarantees that it is mandatory that those students walk out of school with ID cards. Once we have the IDs, then we are guaranteed that people will register to vote. Secondly, to vote is a democratic right. What is lacking is civic education. A voter must be motivated to vote. I should have a reason to want to vote. If we have not done adequate civic education, we should not complain of low registration. I have voters who say: “ Ni Waheshimiwandio wanataka kuchaguliwa. Kwa hivyo, wanipeleke niende nijisajili kupiga kura .” I should be facilitated by those who want to be voted for. That kind of a voter requires civic education that it is their right to vote. They should be involved in this process; they should participate; they should be engaged. Thereafter, they can demand for services from the leaders they elect; demand for what belongs to them, their right. We have institutions in this country that are mandated to do civic education. It is not sufficiently being done. We have local radio stations. Even in my constituency, there is a local radio station called Emuria FM. I have not heard anything from IEBC educating and encouraging people to go and register as voters. We approve budgets in this House. I have seen budgetary allocations towards civic education in various ministries and departments. We are seeing very little civic education. We should do civic education so that the electorate can appreciate the importance of voting in the right leaders, voting leaders on merit, voting leaders based on development agenda as opposed to party affiliations, as opposed to hiding behind parties just because the party leader is popular in your region. That way, they will be sure that those leaders will be able to drive the development agenda in their regions."
}