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{
    "id": 858338,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/858338/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 370,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Baringo North, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. William Cheptumo",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 50,
        "legal_name": "William Cheptumo Kipkiror",
        "slug": "william-kipkiror"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I wish to support this Bill. After its First Reading, it was committed to the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs. Pursuant to the provisions of Article 119 of the Constitution, we were able to invite the public to give written memoranda on this very important Bill. I would like to very briefly inform the House that my submissions are very important because it is important for this House to know what the Kenyan people’s views about this Constitution (Amendment) Bill are. We went across the country and public hearings took place in Nairobi, Machakos, Mombasa, Kisumu, Kakamega, Eldoret, Nakuru, Nyeri, Isiolo, Wajir and Turkana. You will realise the areas I have mentioned confirm that we went across the country. During these public hearings members of the public either individually or representing institutions and organisations made oral and written submissions which the Committee took into account while reviewing this Bill. During the public hearings 1,845 persons and 59 institutions and groups turned up. If you read the Report that we tabled in the House, we were able to demonstrate that this Bill received overwhelming support from the Kenyan people. Just to show the House, out of 59 institutions 55 supported the Bill. For Individuals in aggregate there was 87.5 per cent support in all the public presentations. So, I wish to inform the House and Kenyans listening to me and all Members making their views on this particular Bill that Kenyans through the process of public hearings were able to confirm that time has come for this country and this House to pass this Bill. So that, we have the 52 per cent of our population participate in leadership and that is women. The Committee also observed that some of those who made presentations did not agree. However, allow me to inform the House in a summary, the visions Kenyans advanced in support of this Bill. Kenyans said that the two-thirds gender principle was a constitutional right and outstanding deliverable of Parliament. The Kenyan people in the new Constitution gave the constitutional responsibility and duty to this House to pass the gender rule. There was consistent jurisprudence on the matter and the import, therefore, was that Parliament is compelled by law to enact the necessary legislation. Comments from the Attorney-General are that there could be a serious constitutional crisis if this Bill is not passed. It is important for us to know that we may take this particular principle lightly but the Constitution itself has even contemplated a situation where this House can be dissolved when we fail to pass this law. Therefore, it is critical and important for us to pass it. The fourth point raised by most Kenyans is that over 50 per cent of Kenya’s population comprises the female gender and as such representation that is democratic must represent the majority population of the proportions provided for by the Constitution. So, again, as I said earlier, we have 52 per cent of the Kenyan population comprising of women. They need to play a role in leadership. I want Members to listen to this point; that Kenya was ranked the last. In the East Africa region, we are always ahead in most of the issues, be it matters pertaining to development or other things. Unfortunately, Kenya was ranked last in the East Africa Community in terms of women representation in Parliament. This country must take her position in the region. Women representation in Kenya in the 12th Parliament stood at 22 per cent, which way below other states in the region. So, it is important for us, as a country and Parliament, to The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}