Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1072669,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1072669/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 152,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Ndegwa Njiru",
    "speaker_title": "The Advocate for Wajir County Governor",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hon. Members, a Pontius Pilate moment is before you in the sense that within all the other allegations, some of the grievous allegations touching on the utilization of the finances and the resources of this country, the governor has been set free. That shows that the governor does not have itchy fingers. That shows that the governor has never had his hands in the cookie jar. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is phenomenon for persons serving in public services, most importantly in the position of the governor to find themselves having crisscrossed with public finances. Even as we look at the fate of the governor this evening, the governor has been acquitted of all those charges. What remains is to interrogate whether what has been presented before this House meets the threshold. The thing that remains to be interrogated, as my learned friend has indicated, is whether this House shall be guided by the principle of its doctrines and the doctrines of precedence that has been set previously. It remains to be found whether the governor before you, who pleads for your mercy, will have an equal treatment of the law. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is calling for a moment of equality of arms. It is calling for a moment where Article 27 ought to be put into consideration. It is giving a comparative study of the impeachments that have been brought before you and this House, with the recent one where there was an acquittal of Gov. Waiguru. The County Assembly brought three witnesses all of whom were medical doctors, the star witness being Dr. Gor Goody. They gave a clear analysis of how the health system had broken down in Kirinyaga County. Most importantly, the question of Kirinyaga County was not something that happened in camera. It happened in glare of the camera instead. You recall that there was applause and outcries. The hospital was in a pathetic situation. The doctors testified, but this House returned a verdict of ‘not guilty.’ Mr. Speaker, Sir, there is no evidence that was tabled. There was no doctor who was called by the County Assembly. The only person who testified and when put to test through cross-examination was a Member of County Assembly (MCA); one single MCA alleging that the Members of Wajir County are forced to fuel their ambulances. When called to task to provide evidence when the ambulance was fueled, who fueled, why it was fueled, who paid, how it was paid with the receipt for the payments, he could not tender evidence. He only said the governor is liable. Why was the governor liable? The allegation was that the buck stops at him. Mr. Speaker, Sir, hence therefore, the fundamental question is: shall a father be bearing the sins or shall we carry the sins of our sons? Shall we be held vicariously liable for all things that happen in our own homes? If my child breaks my neighbour’s door, should I be held liable? If my Ndegwa Junior breaks or hits my neighbour’s child, should I be held liable? It is time for everybody to carry his cross. The cross that the governor is carrying this evening does not belong to him. There is nobody who has been surcharged for those issues. Why should there be a different finding? Mr. Speaker, Sir, the fundamental question as I sum up, I can see the light is coming up, in Gov. Chepkwony’s case that this House held that it is not every allegation that should amount to the draconian action of impeaching the governor. For one reason, impeachments have the ability of disorganizing Government. We only have about 10 months to go. Why should we disorganize Wajir County? This man before you was in court all the way from 2017 to 2018 struggling with an election"
}