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{
    "id": 928105,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/928105/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 262,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mukurweini, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Anthony Kiai",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13439,
        "legal_name": "Anthony Githiaka Kiai",
        "slug": "anthony-githiaka-kiai"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I stand to support the Bill. The main principle of this Bill is to amend the First Schedule of the IEBC Act so that we can establish a selection panel to oversee the filling of vacant positions in the Commission. The current panel did its work. After that, it was done with the work. What we are aiming to do by amending this Act is to have a panel that is there all the time and ensure that, in case of any vacancy in the IEBC, it is always filled up as quickly as possible. You will realise that the Constitution of Kenya provides that the quorum for any commission is three, but then the enabling legislation in so far as the IEBC is concerned says that it is supposed to be five commissioners. What happens in this situation is that the Constitution will always prevail. When the IEBC appeared before the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, it agreed with the Committee’s position that they can only do so much, but do not carry out the mandated work completely and in totality. Why is that the case? It is because, as three commissioners, all they can do is administrative matters. They cannot engage in policy matters. We have critical issues that are before the IEBC, and one of them is to manage the electoral process in this country, especially the general election. They also have other critical functions to carry out like the intended forthcoming referendum. In a situation where there are three commissioners in office, as much as we are saying that it can carry out some functions, it cannot be able to effectively carry out its mandate."
}