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{
    "id": 991471,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/991471/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 317,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kibwezi West, Independent",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) Patrick Musimba",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1804,
        "legal_name": "Patrick Mweu Musimba",
        "slug": "patrick-mweu-musimba"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker for this opportunity. Once again, I want to echo words of congratulations to the Committee and, indeed, to Parliament because we have shown progress. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started, we have risen to the occasion. Through the Clerk’s Office and your able leadership, the National Assembly has shown great courage in making us stand out, not just in Kenya but the entire world is embracing the Information and Communication Technology as an enabler. In reviewing our rules in line with our Constitution, which is very specific, when it comes to the budget-making process, it has timelines. We are dealing with lives and livelihoods. These are great measures that we have taken as a House in terms of moving ahead. That is exactly to echo what the Leader of the Majority Party said. We also need to move progressively and see how we can move to the realm of voting through biometrics. As a House, we already have a biometric register in line with Article 127 of the Constitution, which the seconder, Hon. T.J. Kajwang’ spoke about; in terms of facilitation of Members and in terms of devices and standardisation. We are at a time when provision of ICT infrastructure, like fibre optic networks, has become seamless. Today whether a Member is here or is on his way to parliamentary business around the world, he can still follow what is going on back home. Even after we reconvene and things get to normalcy, we will have made great strides in ensuring that every idea of an hon. Member is actually captured. As a House, we have always been progressive, especially in terms of provision for persons with disabilities. We are the first to have made our House disability-friendly. This will make great strides in supporting people who are blind in future to enable them to participate through braille and all these other devices that will be encompassed. As I support this initiative, and indeed the Report, we look forward to taking this to another level. Hon. Speaker, I believe in your rule. As the Chairman of the African Chapter of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, I think you will continue to be a beacon of hope, having spearheaded a great discourse on the way forward for legislatures and their respective nations. Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}