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{
    "id": 981130,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/981130/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 383,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": "matters related to boundaries and preparation of bi-elections that have happened. Were it not for court decisions to validate that the commission can continue to work with three commissioners, we would have been in a major crisis. So, the country has stayed for a long time without a selection panel. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the National Assembly, through this law, has proposed for certain Members of various Committees to serve in the selection panel. The law is straightforward; I do not want to belabour it. We have four Members who are nominated by the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC). We have one person nominated by the Public Service Commission (PSC), one person nominated by the Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission (EACC), one person nominated by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), one person nominated by the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), one person nominated by Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and two persons nominated by the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK). Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the bodies listed above are meant to nominate people within seven days of declaration of vacancy in the office of the chairperson or any member. This means that when we have this selection Committee, within seven days, it must nominate people that have been selected in law and go ahead to provide ways of advertisement for people who will serve in the commission. I do not need to belabour that IEBC is an important institution. We are at an important and serious time in our country. Some people were saying that we should not do anything until BBI is over. However, after having non-partisan consultations with the National Assembly, we realised that the process of BBI which may involve referendum, will require a commission. We need a complete commission because the decisions will be made by an institution that should be in place. It is impossible that the constitutional amendments that we will propose going forward will have a new IEBC with a new structure and image. That will be after the current one gives birth to whatever will be proposed under the constitutional and legal reforms that are being suggested for the election sector. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want Members to clearly understand that we will deal with this law to fill the commission as it is. It is possible that the commission will change before the next elections both in numbers and the composition. However, it can only change through a constitutional process that requires constitutional amendment which perhaps will be presided over by a commission that should be complete and not continue to operate as three people as it is at the moment. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the court said that under the doctrine of necessity, the commission should continue operating even with the three people. We thank God that none of them has been found culpable or arrested and none of them has lost their minds. They are still able to function, are in good health and God has maintained and protected them. If one of them was to resign by virtue of committing an offence or whatever happens, we would not have a commission in place to do anything. In my own opinion, in the remaining period, the current commission will be acting as a midwife for a dispensation that is impending. However, in this House, we are not supposed to anticipate debate on laws that will come in future. We act at the interim"
}