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{
    "id": 806756,
    "url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/806756/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 496,
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    "content": "so long to decide that it is time for us to take our services to the people, engage them and see what they are able to do? When we do that, we shall lift and understand the problems that affect the people right from where they happen. Madam Temporary, Speaker, I would like to be clear on this one issue because during the just concluded 2017 General Elections, less than 30 per cent of the 47 elected Senators who sat in the previous House found their way back to this House. I was one those that were lucky enough, and I thank God for that. One of the questions that persisted all the time we went around during our campaigns - even now when a Senator goes to the ground, people ask what our role is and the contribution we make to the national duty of law making and development. Those questions are hard to answer when the parameters of measuring the contribution of a Member of Parliament (MP) or an elected leader have been set. People want to know the number of projects that we have opened or the amount of money we give out in harambees and so forth. It is a good concept for the House to sit at the county level for members of the public to witness what we do. I would like to propose that these sittings be made a routine. They should not be exceptional to only a time when a Motion is brought before the House. At the time of making the Senate Calendar, after this realization, it should be a norm for the sittings of the Senate to happen outside this central sitting. We should maximize this. The Speakers Panel comprises of six Members which means that at any given time, we can hold six sittings in six different counties. For example, if a proposal to go around all the 47 counties was to be adopted, six Members of the Speaker’s Panel would sit in each of the sittings. We would require less than eight sittings to do a whole House sitting within all the 47 counties. It does not have to be a big deal that requires a lot of over-planning for it to be a reality. Madam Temporary Speaker, as we hold these sittings, we should also know the value it will add to the counties. We should address the question of value. What will be the procedure for the first sitting so that we accommodate the views of MPs? Madam Temporary Speaker, if the Senate sits outside its usual place, the rules of the House will apply. Therefore, it is not possible for a MP to walk into this House and pose a question from the Speaker’s Gallery. Now that we are taking the Senate to the members of the public for them to witness and participate, we should also know whether we will mandate Members of this House to do a forerun within their counties and collect not only views but possible issues and questions that they would ask especially the County of Uasin Gishu where we are starting. The Senator can then pose those questions during that sitting at either Statement or question time. This will make members of that county to feel that it is valuable for them to spend their time to witness the sitting. I say this so that these sittings are not deemed to be a spectacle for people to witness and see Sen. Wamatangi, Sen. Wako and others speak because I am sure they have seen us on television. What is the value proposition of this particular sitting? Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I believe that if we have a formula of accommodating the views of members of the public, we would give it more value and give the members of the public more reason to want to participate. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}