Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 730661,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/730661/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 116,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Okoth",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 12482,
        "legal_name": "Kenneth Odhiambo Okoth",
        "slug": "kenneth-odhiambo-okoth"
    },
    "content": "exercise their sovereign right because the country belongs to the people. We only serve in these positions as a privilege, on behalf of the people. In Kibra, I pledge here on record and I have pledged on the ground that I will campaign in peace. I welcome all candidates participating in the nominations in Kibra to participate in peace and not to leave our community in pieces. We want to stay in peace. We also want people to vote in peace. Secondly, let all of us give the IEBC the cooperation it needs to deliver on its mandate. But that does not mean that we will not be vigilant about how it will conduct the elections. The IEBC must be aware that these elections are very important for our country. In the year of elections, the economy shrinks and slows down, and it will take us another year or possibly two to recover. If the elections are questionable or conducted in a manner that brings doubt and raises conflict, it will really harm us. I am praying for the IEBC and calling on it to conduct itself in the most professional and transparent manner to give us an election that Kenyans will see and believe that justice was not just seen to be done but was done. The voice of the people is the voice of God. That is what will give us the leadership in our country as we move ahead. I have really enjoyed working in this Session. For me it is one of the most rewarding sessions of Parliament. In collaboration with the members of the Human Rights Caucus, the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs and the Leader of the Majority Party, we were able to pass two critical human rights pieces of legislation, which have been mentioned in the appendices of the TJRC Report. I am proud as a Member of Parliament to have done my small part in implementing something that was called for in the TJRC Report. This House will go down in history, whether we claimed we were implementing the TJRC Report or not, through these two key pieces of legislation. We implemented two matters. The first one was the National Coroners Service Bill so that people can know conclusively, through death investigations, how their loved ones die in questionable circumstances, in hospital, accident or any other natural death. The Bill was passed in this House and we are waiting for the President to sign it. This afternoon’s business that was very special to me too, was the Prevention of Torture Bill, which is human rights legislation. In Kenya, we only had the crime of torture mentioned in the old Chief’s Act which told chiefs that they are forbidden from torturing people and running their private jails. The torture issue was also mentioned in the Children’s Act. The children are free from torture as per the Constitution under the rights of a child. The Children’s Act mentioned the word torture. Now, consistent with our international obligation, and with our Constitution, the crime of torture is finally defined in law. People like the City County askaris who have been engaging in petty crime against hawkers, will know that they should not be doing that. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers or the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officers who might arrest someone who is burning charcoal should make sure they do not torture them. We now have a law that bars State agencies that have been committing acts of torture but could not be held accountable. I am happy, as a Member of Parliament, to have contributed to that. As I go into elections, I know my legislative, service and representation records for the people of Kibra will put me in a good position to compete with all other candidates and win in the nominations."
}