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{
    "id": 738366,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/738366/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 209,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "apply. This is because we have independent people who have also sacrificed and they believe in one of those parties. As we make recommendations and ask for more time, let us not ask for time to play side shows. If the political parties have someone who has worked diligently for the party for the last ten or five years, I believe that a woman or a man deserves to be nominated. This is a political party issue and until we change the law, it is the parties to decide. We should not start infringing on this because we want to show that we have the numbers. I want to tell Jubilee that while we say that we have the numbers, we cannot interfere with EALA. In fact, the best Jubilee would have done to us was to bring the five names. Why should we put so many names and yet we know that it is so and so who is going to take it? When that is done, people go through a lot of anxiety yet you know very well that you are not going to pick them. I think it is fair to finish the process, present the five names and give reasons each of them deserves to be in EALA. The other thing we need to bring to the attention of the parties is that if somebody has served for two terms, he or she has done the best. He or she can get another job and give an opportunity to other people. Sometimes we find ourselves so engaged in something that when it comes to handing over, we do not want to do so. We want to make it look as if it is a position that is reserved for a specific person. There is even a slot that has become a tradition such that if we remove it today, you will find the community from which that person comes fighting. It appears like that position is reserved for them. Those are some of the things we need to change. We should think about what Kenya will achieve by having representatives at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). The person nominated by the party should sit down with their political party and point out some of the things that are not friendly to our country. Sometimes it is not just about giving a job but serving Kenya. We should appreciate that we send representatives to the EALA as Kenyans to serve our country. As much as the Committee recommends that the Minority Party should bring twelve nominees and the Majority Party, fifteen, we are being unfair to our people. In the end, we are only going to pick five. The processes should be done within the parties after which they come to Parliament to tell us the particular names they have agreed on. If anyone has a petition, he has a right to bring it to Parliament. A name can then be changed after we look at the petition and agree. There could be an integrity issue that we have to resolve or any other issue arising. However, as parties, let us not antagonize anybody, especially, now that we are going into the general elections. If we do not want a specific name we should sit down and agree because this issue requires consensus. If we follow this process, we will agree on the report. When the report goes to the National Assembly, it will not have an issue. However, we are to choose from 15 names, it will be very unfortunate to those who have applied. Finally, it is important to look at those laws critically. Any Member of Parliament does not need to go for these positions because the law is very clear. Even on the Majority side I have seen names of Members of Parliament. The law is very clear that they cannot go for the EALA positions. Even if they have only two months to serve as Members of Parliament, they are still Members of Parliament. The Jubilee Party should, therefore, be right on the process."
}