Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1009842,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1009842/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 228,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Suba North, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Odhiambo-Mabona",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 376,
        "legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
        "slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker for giving me this opportunity. I know there are Members who would like the debate to end with good reasons. However, when we are dealing with issues to do with treaties, they should indulge me because I am the one who introduced in this House the Bill that produced the Treaty Making and Ratification Act, which has ensured that Members debate and ratify treaties in this House. The Constitution provides that all treaties that are made in the country become part of the Kenyan laws, but it did not give Parliament the mandate to discuss them. So, I brought that law to ensure that Parliament is part of the treaty making process. I brought that legislation to ensure that when, as a country, we are making very serious decisions, parliamentarians who are representatives of the respective parts of the country – are involved. Because of that, I want to support, but with reservations. Hon. Speaker, if you look at the Report and even what the Members are saying, there is a lot of focus on the issue of monetary benefit to the country and benefit to the local communities through corporate social responsibility projects. My concern is that I am not hearing us speaking very strongly to the issue of security, especially when we are talking about space and telecommunication. The former Leader of Majority talked about the Committee in the last Parliament not being allowed to access that centre. I hope those are issues that have been dealt with. Also, a lot of times when we deal with treaties before the House, Members do not realise that we have the same power. In this instance, we may not amend, but we can pass with reservations. When we pass with reservations, it means we would have effectively amended the Treaty. If there are parts of a treaty we are not agreed with, we will be telling the Executive we are giving them the mandate to ratify, but with reservations on specified parts. I have noticed that most of the times we debate as though we only have one option: to reject or accept."
}