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{
    "id": 1065122,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1065122/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 83,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Linturi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 69,
        "legal_name": "Franklin Mithika Linturi",
        "slug": "franklin-linturi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for according me this opportunity to brief the House on what I have been doing since the House was suspended to give us an opportunity to go and read the Bill and the Report of the Committee and get back to this Chamber at 2.30 p.m. to debate on the same. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the few hours I have been in the hands of my good brother, Mr. Kinoti, has not been one of the best experiences, to say the least. I must thank this House. I thank you and the Members of Parliament who have found it very necessary to stand and be with me at this particular time, not because I am not answerable to an agency that is investigating any matter or that I am not supposed to be arrested. I thank this House because today is a serious day in the history of this country. You found it necessary to call the Senate to discuss this Bill and find a way on how the proposed constitutional changes can take place. However, despite this serious moment in our history that will never probably come in the next few months, and the way I represent the people of Meru, who expect me to give my ideas and their thoughts because I have been discussing with them, and what position they want me to take--- I find it very absurd because I could have been summoned to go to the DCI on Monday, yesterday or any other day. Doing it today really annoys me and is very painful. Be that as it may, you and this House have demonstrated leadership and I must thank you. We do not know what would have happened next. I remember the other Senators were arrested at a time when we were discussing serious issues and this gentleman does not even understand. I cannot understand why this has to happen. We condemn it. Thank God, I sit in the Committee on National Security and Foreign Relations and we had a discussion with the DCI, the Inspector-General (IG) of Police and others. If there is no other way, we agreed that whenever there is an issue that requires a Member of Parliament to present himself before DCI, write to the Speaker who will then communicate to the Member and he will then gladly go before DCI. When I left here for my house, I found police officers and other people in three vehicles brandishing guns wanting to arrest me. I do not think I deserve that kind of treatment. We require to be treated with dignity. We require to be told whenever we have done anything wrong or even when something is being investigated, to appear and share information because we are equal before the law. We cannot run away. I cannot leave Kenya. I am an elected Member of Parliament. If I were to run away from this House, I would lose my position as Senator for Meru County. Mr. Speaker, Sir, and Members, today it was me, tomorrow, it might be you. Let us be each other’s keeper. However, I have no words to use to express my thanks to you, Senators. You can be sure - my history will tell - that I have always been there for anyone of us. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}