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{
    "id": 762755,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/762755/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 1250,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Kanyuithia",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13495,
        "legal_name": "John Kanyuithia Mutunga",
        "slug": "john-kanyuithia-mutunga"
    },
    "content": "personal interests or interest in winning the presidential seat. This time round we are speaking as Kenyans. We are not amending the electoral laws because of our own interests but because of the interests of the country. We want to correct the mess that is in the electoral laws, which led to the nullification of the presidential election of 8th August 2017. This time round, the Members of this House are very clear and articulate. The levels of anxiety are very low. They have taken time to look through these amendments and what they are saying is that it is time for us to correct these laws. One of the things that may also need to be dealt with is the issue of election agents, who are supposed to be appointed by political parties. In the last election, there was a problem. The problem was communicated just a few days before the election. If this was captured in the amendment as well, it will help a great deal. The election was nullified out of allegations. The allegations were never proven at the end of the day. That is why they remain allegations to date. That is why there has been a lot of hullabaloo trying to convince Kenyans that it was otherwise. However, it is important for us, even as we go to the elections, to be very clear on some of the principles that will enable us to have confidence in the electioneering process in future and avoid some of the issues that led to the nullification of the August 8th presidential election. Speaking to the East African Community Protocol on Privileges and Immunities, it would be good for us as a country, in supporting what is happening within the East African region in terms of building the East African Community (EAC), to recognise the need to have these people effectively privileged. This is because they need to be confident that they are traversing the different countries of East Africa as a people who are recognised as intergovernmental organisation workers. As such, we need to give them due recognition. Even if it means getting them passports, there should be no reason for them not to be facilitated. I know we are supposed to have an East African passport. Theirs should be different. I also support this Motion in the sense that we should have their properties exempted from taxes. The more we keep these properties, the better for them and the better for the EAC. What I would like to request this House to do is to align the taxation laws of this country. Soon after we pass this particular Motion, we should have the process of aligning the laws with our taxation laws to exempt the EAC from the various taxes that have been announced. In other words, we should be able to domesticate this particular provision within the Kenyan laws. Sometimes it takes a bit of time for us to domesticate or adopt the laws that we pass, or the conventions or protocols that we sign outside this country. Therefore, that is one of the things that we should be very careful about. With those few remarks, I support the Motion."
}