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{
    "id": 1087143,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1087143/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 162,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13131,
        "legal_name": "Johnson Arthur Sakaja",
        "slug": "johnson-arthur-sakaja"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Whenever you see Sen. (Dr.) Zani has proposed something, you can be sure it is well thought out and necessary. She has distinguished herself for the last two terms in being very thoughtful of the processes of Parliament and, indeed, legislation that is meaningful. There is this institutional tension where everybody is now trying to claim their space. The Judiciary says that oversight has been paused until some agreements are reached. We are in a Parliamentary democracy and it is Parliament which should, in essence, exert itself better. It needs to exert itself in a way that the power or the exercise of sovereignty in Article 1 of the Constitution, is supreme. In fact, the only two ways Kenyans exercise their sovereignty is directly or through their elected representatives. The Judiciary has no elected representatives. Even their appointment has to do with Parliament in one way or another. Madam Deputy Speaker, all Kenyans cannot meet together to make decisions or resolutions every day. That is the work we do in this House. We need to have that perspective as Members of Parliament (MPs), that what we do is on behalf of the sovereign of this country, the people of Kenya. It must be clear that the resolutions of the people are not suggestions, just made to be taken lightly that the Government can consider if it feels like or does not consider. Resolutions of Parliament are binding on State officers and public officers to which those resolutions are made. Our problem - and I am glad that I have seen some of the provisions in this Bill by Sen. (Dr.) Zani - is really the attitude that certain departments in the Executive have towards Parliament. You will find in the Cabinet there are certain Ministries or Cabinet Secretaries that are very receptive and respectful to Parliament and its proceedings. In the Committees that I have been in and the Committee I chair, I will give you an example of the CS of Labour who is extremely responsive. I must single him out because of all the issues we had to deal with, he goes beyond the normal call to respond. Others are CS Amina, the CAS of the National Treasury Mr. Gaichuhie who has been dealing with this pension issue. As much as we must call out those who are not doing the right thing, we must appreciate also those who are doing their job. CAS Gaichuhie in the Treasury and CAS Obure have been very useful. In others, we have seen that there is almost contempt, spite and disdain to elected leaders. They forget The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}