Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1061876,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1061876/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 388,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Khaniri",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 171,
        "legal_name": "George Munyasa Khaniri",
        "slug": "george-khaniri"
    },
    "content": "As we embark on the war on Covid-19, we must ensure that we do it within the confines of our Constitution, 2010, which we all swore to uphold and protect. One of the biggest gains that we got in our Constitution, 2010, was the absolute independence of the three arms of Government. Those of us who served in earlier Parliaments, for example, Sen. Orengo, Sen. Wetangula and Sen. Wako, can bear me witness. We served in a Parliament that was an appendage of the Office of the President. If you remember, even the Clerk of the Assembly was seconded from the Office of the President. In those days, the President could prorogue or dissolve Parliament any time and recall it as he wished. It was not working for our country. It is for that reason that we passed the Constitution 2010, to ensure that Parliament has its independence. We can decide when to sit, when to go home or go on recess. The President has nothing whatsoever in deciding when Parliament or the Judiciary will sit or not sit. All the three arms of Government are independent of each other. As we speak, the President is asking us to go home until May but the Executive is functioning and their roles are going on. I do not anticipate the amendments that will be brought by my namesake, Sen. (Dr.) George Ochillo-Ayacko. However, I propose, and I am glad that Sen. Orengo, in seconding the Motion, alluded to it, that we can still hold one sitting every week in strict adherence to the protocols which we will ask you to ensure that they are enforced. We reached at a certain stage and relaxed the protocols. For example, it is clearly marked on our seats where one should sit or not sit but we have always flouted that. If we can adhere to those protocols of keeping distance, nothing will stop us from conducting our business on a weekly basis. I second the proposal by the Senate Minority Leader. If it means taking weekly or bi-weekly Covid-19 tests, so be it. We are ready. As long as we are here to transact the business of the people who elected us to be here to represent them. We cannot cower and go home. That will send bad signals to the people who elected us. We must be here and be part of the solutions. As the executive takes decisions, we must be here to audit them. It is our duty. Who will oversight them? There is so much that needs to be done. Telling us to go home for one month, is like giving the Executive a blank cheque. We cannot afford to do that. Madam Deputy Speaker, we insist. I will vote against this Motion if it is voted on the way it is. I do not know what the amendment says but I insist that we meet here every week and observe all the protocols. It must go clear to our Speaker Hon. Kenneth Lusaka that he should be on the fore-front in protecting the independence of this House. He should lead from the front. Decisions cannot be made in State House, then the very Speaker that we expect to be in the forefront comes to read them to us here and you expect that we just pass them like that. This House is independent. We will make our own Calendar and the President must get this very clear that the two Houses of Parliament are independent. He is not going to decide when the Senate sits or when it does not sit. It is not in his duty. I oppose."
}