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{
    "id": 1013196,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1013196/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 142,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "This is not a very complex matter. As Hon. Otiende Amollo has said, the term “public participation” - though not expressly stated - starts at around Article 10 on national values in sub-article 2(a) on participation by the people. Chapter 8 of the Constitution is specifically on the Legislature. That is where you find Article 118 in Part 5. I agree with Hon. Otiende Amollo. There is already Standing Order No.127 which is quite elaborate on how Parliament, and not the rest, will engage in public participation. Hon. Kimunya and Hon. John Mbadi will recall that this week and the other weeks, we have been grappling with an issue which is very clearly stated in the National Honours Act. It requires that three committees from the Judiciary, Parliament and the national Government publish the names of those whom they propose to forward to the President for consideration under Article 132 of the Constitution. It is only the committee of Parliament that publishes in keeping with the dictates of Article 118 on public participation which is a directive to Parliament. The reason I agree with Hon. Otiende Amollo is because for the other arms of Government, public participation is non-existent even where the laws have been very clear. We, in Parliament, must also be careful on how much we want to control our own procedures. That is what Article 124(1) states. Each House of Parliament has the power to form committees and prescribe Standing Orders for the orderly conduct of business. That orderly conduct of business must include public participation which is directed by Article 118. There may be need for us to think this through and see how much more we want to do. Of these three Bills, one is from the Senate, one from Hon. Wamalwa and there is one more. We must make up our minds. What do we want? We might state that in terms of public participation, the Judiciary shall do this or the other and then they tell us to forget that because they do not operate that way. They may say that we are introducing archaic things. Let us have Hon. Wamalwa for two minutes because I must get out of here."
}