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{
    "id": 1066651,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1066651/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 89,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mutula Kilonza Jnr.",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "The accused persons in this Senate have been charged for various offences. Sen. Cherargei has about seven cases and I am sure that there are others. Every accused person wants to feel innocent. We must make every accused person feel innocent. This Act was prepared by a Committee where Sen. Murkomen sat and we must blame it if there is a problem. They put a clause where if the Committee acquits a governor, they do not bring their report for a vote. That is the only problem. We are saying that a Committee cannot convict in the same way that the plenary can convict yet we convicted Governor Wambora twice. We have acquitted in plenary and we have convicted in plenary. The only problem is that we have never set a clear precedent on how we are supposed to proceed. I hope that you will make a determination as to whether this is a matter concerning counties or whether it does not concern counties. We have to be consistent for people to know what they are going to do and what they are going to face. The period when we go into camera during the impeachment hearing is weird. It is like a walk in hell. We close ourselves in a room, discuss amongst ourselves in a room and when we go into open camera, we say the same things that we were saying off camera. We want to tell the people of Wajir County that Senators got arrested for defending the money that they are losing; Kshs2.7 billion. It is an embarrassment to those of us who fought in ‘Team Kenya’ for Wajir County not to lose money. To bring impeachments that if you read them on the face of it, is weird. Article 96 of the Constitution states that the Senate must protect the counties. Therefore, we must protect the counties from politicians, thieves and what appears like a decision that has been made politically, to remove a governor or not to remove a governor. I sat in the Committee that listened to the impeachment case of Governor Chepkwony. The Senator did not complain. In fact, we gave the Senator for Kericho who is the current Cabinet Secretary in charge of the Ministry of Energy a mandate to reconcile the County. It is no wonder that the County is doing so well. It is the only County that has a complete data bank of all their information. It is very quiet. Like we determined in the Chepkwony case, impeachment is also a way of regularizing things that are irregular. I said this about Taita Taveta County. Resolutions were read here which we never voted on. What happened to those resolutions about pursuing this or the other? Allow me to commend the Committee on Health. I rarely commend them but in the investigation of the use of Covid-19 funds by counties, I saw a Committee that is determined to get to the bottom of the misuse of Covid-19 funds in Makueni County. The discussion was led by Sen. Outa. In both cases, we do have a solution. My position has always been that we should make a decision that can stand the test of justice whether we are acquitting or convicting. Let us go to the vote. This proposal was ours for the Members to make the decision. Once they have made the decision on how people are going to vote in terms of the technical issues and the procedural issues, then we can make a decision and commence the trial of this Governor as quickly as possible. I am told that there is another Governor who is coming. We better clear the deck as quickly as possible. 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."
}