Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1019272,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1019272/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 342,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Poghisio",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 202,
        "legal_name": "Samuel Losuron Poghisio",
        "slug": "samuel-poghisio"
    },
    "content": "I am going to say a few things on this matter. First, democracy in this country had made certain strides. We have taken strides to the place where we developed our Constitution 2010, based on democratic principles. However, now we have to look at what that document is and its role in making sure that it entrenches good democratic practices. You know as has been said, we can just mention democracy as though it is a word that means you do what you want to do. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I just want to help join my colleagues who have told off the Chairperson of CoG. We have had chairpersons before, but this is the first one to start issuing edicts and directing other governors and governments on what to do. It is not really like Governor Oparanya. I do not know what you people have done to him. However, I just want to say this. Even before he issued that statement, the Senate Minority Leader and I, had written to him. We told him: “Please, we are working on this matter this week, be patient; do not issue a statement.” He received that note and still went ahead and issued that statement. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, if this is the way we are going to work with the CoG, then, we even have to revise our strategy on how to work with them. If you cannot agree on something and work, then democracy is at a loss. I want to say something about that. Democracy in this country is yet to be devolved. When we devolved it, we did it to the governorship. The governors, for some reasons, especially the one who is in my county, thinks that he is equivalent to a President. Therefore, he would run the county like the way the President is running the country. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, Governor (Prof.) Lonyangapuo, who is my governor, has started interfering with the county assembly. He is warning the Speaker of the consequences. He is determining what happens there. When I ask him, he says: “If the President can do this, I can do it.” He is not the President of any country. These governors must serve the people and not to rule them. You are servants of the people. Democracy is respecting the boundaries. There is nothing in the Constitution that says that a governor can walk to the county assembly, like Governor (Prof.) Lonyangapuo has done, and sit the Speaker’s Chair and start addressing the Members of County Assembly (MCAs). Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we must devolve it to the levels---"
}