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{
    "id": 1028900,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1028900/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 180,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there are those who think that the Senate is being weakened. My view is different. In the proposals in BBI, 35 per cent of resources will be allocated to county governments. That means the scope of Senate supervision and oversight over public finances has shifted from 15 to 35 per cent. With 35 per cent of the national revenue, the Supreme Court advisory, and the High Court ruling, this House is going to be the ‘upper’ House. You do not have to write it in the Constitution that the Senate is the upper House. Look at two examples. In Australia, the Senate is designated as an Upper House. It represents the State and is a House of review, but the government sits in the other Chamber, yet the Australian Senate has been able to assert itself. Look at our neighbours down south in South Africa. They have the equivalent of a Senate called the Council of Provinces. Even though it is defined as an Upper House, it does not behave as such because the Council of Provinces in South Africa has people who are elected from regional assemblies to sit in it. You do not need that explicit description in the Constitution. That should not be a deal breaker or a showstopper. As the Senate, we cannot say that we are not going to support BBI because the Senate is not designated as an Upper House. I know many men in this Chamber who are designated as husbands at home, but they are not any better than the wives in their homes. Power does not have to be written on your forehead. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, let us seize the moment. If the Government is going to sit in that other House, this is the House that will put a break on all the unconstitutional and illegal legislative affairs that will come from that other House. You can imagine if security laws were to come to the Senate after having been processed in the National Assembly. Let us be courageous. I am so happy that in this fourth revolution, the focus is now on economic prosperity. I am excited that in BBI, we have put issues like a digital infrastructure, sustainable agriculture and economic development as economic principles. Whoever is going to run this country with the new or the amended Constitution must ensure that the conversation moves from regions, hustlers and others. The conversation is about prosperity because it is only in prosperous society that our young people, women, and all segments of society will have an opportunity and feel proud to be part of a nation called Kenya. Finally, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we must also review our Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) that renders contradictory opinions on money Bills in this Parliament. That needs to be fixed because it is part of the problem. I support and I congratulate the legal team and the entire House for this wonderful development."
}