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{
    "id": 731461,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/731461/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 443,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Wamunyinyi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 291,
        "legal_name": "Athanas Misiko Wafula Wamunyinyi",
        "slug": "athanas-wamunyinyi"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Hon. Wamalwa cannot claim to be senior to me. He has just come in. Hata hivyo vitu vyao havijapita barabara ya kwenda kulenje . Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this important Motion. In order for elections to be seen to project our country as a strong democracy, adequate preparations by the agency responsible is necessary. The Government and everybody involved must play their roles to ensure that each one is prepared to face an election. It is for that reason that appropriate statute regulations are developed for purposes of elections. This endeavour has caused these elections regulations to be brought to the House in order for us to address all the aspects of preparations for holding the forthcoming general elections. I have been listening to Members contribute to these regulations. Obviously, you could notice some frustrations and concerns by Members about some of the provisions contained in the regulations. However, good regulations will lead to credible elections and to the satisfaction of everybody, including local and international election observers. Recently, we heard threats issued by Government agents. They went to the extent of saying that if anybody refuses to agree with the election results as relayed by the IEBC, such action will amount to commission of an offence. Obviously, there would be reasons for one to disagree with election results as may be declared by the IEBC or a returning officer. That is what needs to be looked at. Threats like saying that if anybody refuses to agree with election results announced by the IEBC he will have committed an offence and, therefore, will be arrested and arraigned in court are not warranted. For the years I have participated in elections, and particularly from the year we started tallying votes and announcing results at polling stations, I have seen improvement in election credibility. I also have my parallel tallying centre. I also have my people everywhere. I sit in one command centre, from where I issue instructions and get the results. I do not see anything wrong with establishing a parallel tallying centre. If you establish a parallel vote tallying centre, it does not mean that you will be announcing the results. Such a centre will only be confirming that the results that have been announced by the presiding officers and the returning officers are correct. It is just a way of verifying. We are all aware of the suspicion that exists in this country. I cannot sit down and watch as my opponents play games. I will make sure that I put in place measures that will follow the process of voting and counting. That is why we have election agents, mobilisers, counting agents and other people following up. Therefore, I do not understand why some people are worried about the decision by certain people to establish a parallel vote tallying centre. When you threaten people by saying that anybody who will not agree with the results announced by the IEBC will have committed an offence and will, therefore, be arrested and taken to court, you are saying that nobody should follow up the vote tallying process after voting. From my understanding, it is an indicator that something is wrong. I may be wrong but, from the way this matter of threats came up, it means that someone somewhere knows that something wrong will happen with the counting of votes, and this will force people to reject the election results that will be announced by the IEBC. Previously, we have seen polling stations registering more than 100 per cent voter turnout in this country. We will not agree to such things 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."
}