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{
    "id": 959861,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/959861/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 26,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Well, you have raised a serious constitutional issue, but more importantly, there has been a judicial pronouncement on such a matter which arose out of the contestation by a person to run for the office of the Senate in 2013. The person was running on Agano Party ticket for the Senate position in Taita Taveta County. He was denied nomination and he went to the High Court which pronounced itself on the matter. The person not being satisfied with the decision of the High Court proceeded to the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal held, inter alia, that a person holding dual citizenship in Kenya may run for office and indeed, if the office is elective, be elected, but may not take office before renunciation of their other citizenship in accordance with the provisions of Sections 31 and 52 of the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012. That decision of the Court of Appeal has not been vacated. Therefore, any person who may be in violation of those two provisions is material for Judiciary in a criminal process because they are in violation of the law. For purposes of Parliament, this House in particular, I would not direct that matter to the Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations because, as far as they are concerned, they are spent; they are functus officio . Since the House has resolved itself in a particular way, that should now be addressed by the Committee on Implementation to see how the Executive, particularly those responsible for those appointments, has complied with the conditional approval that this House gave and in compliance with the two provisions of the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012, and Article 80(c) of the Constitution as you have said. So, that matter should be handled by the Committee chaired by Hon. ole Kenta. It should go and find out more about the matter. You have said, in your own words, “information available”. The information is now available to me. Of course, Hon. Pukose will appear before that Committee, and in better and greater detail, proffer that information to the Committee. Then the Committee will make its decision known to the House. I think that would be the proper way to deal with the matter. But since you raised another issue, I would request that Hon. Pukose also appear before the Lands Committee and proffer the information that he may have regarding any of the nominees whose names I have just read out. I think the House should proceed that way. Hon. ole Kenta’s committee will take up the matter and find out what has happened so that the House is able to debate the matter on the basis of information and knowledge. 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."
}