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{
    "id": 759626,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/759626/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 202,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Seneta",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 611,
        "legal_name": "Mary Yiane Senata",
        "slug": "mary-yiane-senata"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for giving me a chance to also contribute to this important Motion. Bearing in mind what we are going through as a country, it is important to discuss and raise our concerns as the leadership of this country. I am happy that our colleague, Sen. Mwaura, brought this Motion to be discussed this afternoon in this House. As the leadership of this country, we need to highlight our stand and also raise our concerns on what Kenyans are going through. What we are experiencing as a country at the moment is what followed after the ruling of the Supreme Court. However, what we should concern ourselves with is actually respect for institutions. These constitutional institutions were formed as a requirement by the new Constitution that we passed. Many of us, our leaders and party principals also took part in passing this constitution. We formed these institutions which, when they do their work and come up with decisions, though at times they may not favour us, we should respect them. I want to applaud our President, His Excellency Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, when he said that he was not happy with the Supreme Court ruling, but he respects it although it did not favour him. I wish we could all go by that; that whatever ruling is made either by the IEBC or by the Supreme Court, we should also respect it. Looking at the situation prevailing in the country, there is abuse of democracy. Many of our people are taking advantage of democracy and freedom, therefore abusing that freedom. When you have the freedom to demonstrate, you should also know that, that freedom has a limit. It should not go to the extent that it is prejudicing the freedom of other citizens. In the last one or two months, we have seen people talking. Yes, there is freedom of expression. However, this freedom, according to Article 33, does not extend to a situation where you are also abusing the freedom of the other person, where you are inciting a community, abusing other people or propagating for war. Therefore, we should not abuse either freedom or democracy. There is also a situation in our country whereby, whenever an institution has made a certain decision, we are angered to an extent of demonizing the personalities working in those institutions and we even do not care about their dignity. We ignore the criteria or legal process of removing these personalities from office and we end up demonizing everyone. With this trend, it might be very difficult for people to work in the IEBC, the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) or even in the Supreme Court because whenever you are working there, anybody can abuse and demonize you just because of executing your legal mandate in that institution."
}