Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1061879,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1061879/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 391,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "Madam Deputy Speaker, I thank you. I rise to support this Motion, of course, with amendments. I am anticipating some amendments. I think you speak through the Speaker. The way it is, I am cognizant of the fact that this disease is very serious. We cannot continue to behave as if we are immortal. I am a Member of the Senate Committee on Health and I know. I am privy to information on how dangerous this disease is. While we are sitting here, truth be told, none of us can actually stand here and say they are not aware of one person; a relative or a friend who has suffered Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and even maybe died. Madam Deputy Speaker, the most important thing is for us to ask ourselves what is the most responsible thing that we should do as a legislative arm of Government. I am not averse to the fact that there are three arms of Government which are independent. There is the Judiciary, Executive and Legislative arm of Government. They are all independent bodies. I completely agree with my good friend, Sen. Khaniri, when he says that the President cannot control Parliament. However, we are not blind. We know what is happening. People are dying on a daily basis. Madam Deputy Speaker, I support the fact that when we are sitting here right now, in fact, what we are doing is that we are trying to play dumb. We are trying to behave as if we are immune to this pandemic which is taking away the high and mighty of this world. The truth of the matter is that do we need to adjourn? Yes, we do; but what does it say in terms of our work as Parliament? Can we continue with our work as Parliament? Yes, we can but we have to do it in an intelligent way that does not put our families in danger. When we stand here, we represent communities. We represent people who elected us to be here. However, we have to do so in a very wise way. When we call for these amendments, one of the reasons why I am supporting this Motion of Adjournment, but of course with amendments, I hope that those amendments will be brought by Sen. (Dr.) Ochillo-Ayacko, which I will be happy to second on how we can continue doing our work. Madam Deputy Speaker, let us not get into this argument of who is more powerful between the Executive, the Judiciary or the Legislative arm. We are three independent arms of Government. However, the fact remains that there are many things that we must do. When we go into this adjournment, the work of Parliament must continue. There is no way you can continue spreading the disease virtually. We have issues relating to Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) that we have called. We have asked them to appear before the Committee to respond to matters dealing with the vaccine. They can do so virtually. It does not mean that they cannot appear virtually."
}