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{
    "id": 90055,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/90055/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 325,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "31 Thursday, 26th August, 2010(P) Ms. Karua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, somebody else will come and do that. I will support the Motion. So I am saying that I will not belabor the point but effective date means 27th August, 2010. Once the Constitution starts applying, which will be tomorrow, if we are not sworn in tomorrow, we will begin by subverting the new Constitution. If you read Section 21 of the current constitution, we swear to the oath of office. We will actually be sworn in as Members of Parliament. Although you have already be sworn in, Mr. Speaker, under this Constitution, you will be swearing as Speaker of the National Assembly. It is an oath of office and any of us who does not take oath tomorrow will be a stranger until such time as they take oath. Therefore, it is important that we comply in so far as is possible. Mr. Speaker, Sir, although we were elected in 2007, and although the place of being sworn in is not indicated on Clause 13 of Schedule 6, the place of being sworn must be where we are normally sworn which is Parliament. I, therefore, would want to opine that even for Mr. Speaker, a precedent of being sworn in, in any other place other than Parliament would be a contradiction of the tradition that has been observed. That is just an opinion and it is up to those doing it to decide how to do it. But if the Speaker of the National Assembly can be sworn at Uhuru Park, then there is nothing stopping Members of Parliament from being sworn in the very same Uhuru Park. But because this is a separate institution from the Executive, we normally are sworn in our place of business which is the Parliament of the Republic of Kenya. I would support the Motion and say that since whatever we do will stand for posterity, let us honour this arm of Government which is independent from the Executive by having all of us sworn in tomorrow in compliance with the new Constitution which will become effective tomorrow. We have to decide today and I urge that we all support this Motion and hope that somebody will amend the time to 3.00 p.m. We recognize that our Muslim brothers and sisters are fasting and 6.00 p.m. is when they break the fast. So if we put it to 5.00 p.m., we will not only be going too late, we will also be ignoring that there are other people in special circumstances which we should note. I beg to support."
}