Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1102757,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1102757/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 17,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Eng.) Maina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 75,
        "legal_name": "Ephraim Mwangi Maina",
        "slug": "ephraim-maina"
    },
    "content": "Standing Order No.48 (1) provides that a Senator may request for a Statement from a Committee on any matter under the mandate of the Committee, pursuant to this Provision. At the sitting of the Senate held on 15th September, 2021, Sen. Samson Cherargei requested for a Statement from the Committee regarding the increase in fuel prices as announced by the EPRA. Following deliberations in the Senate, my Committee was directed to invite the CS, Ministry of Petroleum and Mining and the CS, Ministry of Energy to appear before the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday, 21st September, 2021, which is today. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I convened the Committee of the Whole today, Tuesday, 21st September, 2021, but most unfortunately the two Cabinet Secretaries did not attend. We were informed by the Clerk’s office that the CS, Ministry of Petroleum and Mining was away on official duty and that he had requested the Committee to reschedule its meeting to 29th September, 2021. He chose a date. The CS, Ministry of Energy cited Executive Order No.1 of 2018 and Executive Order No.1 of 2020 and indicated that the matters contained in our letter of invitation were outside his jurisdiction. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Committee of the Whole noted that the two Cabinet Secretaries abdicated their responsibilities as stipulated under Article 153(3) of the Constitution and that the Senate should find them culpable, in contempt of the Constitution and that the application of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, 2017 be enforced. I wish to end the Statement there but I wish to add that this House should actually consider this matter seriously this afternoon. It is not just this matter, but there is the issue of fuel prices. Fuel is the core of every activity. Fuel is the core of any business that is being undertaken. Fuel is the core of living today because most families in the lower cadre of our society use fuel products like paraffin to cook their food. When fuel prices go up, we expect the cost of everything to go up. Food prices will go up and the cost of living will go up. All of us who have interacted with our constituents are aware of the outcry of Kenyans. We are aware of the apathy and the impossible situation some families find themselves in. I was faced with a situation where a family came to me and told me that they need assistance because their child could not go to school arising from these increments; public transport has gone up and they have no money since they had budgeted to the last cent. These are the cases that are presented to us. This is a serious matter and the two Cabinet Secretaries are answerable to Kenyans. We are representing Kenyans and, therefore, the two Cabinet Secretaries are in total contravention of the Constitution by not appearing before this House to give their explanation of the issue. That is the purpose of reading this Statement. The House should rise to the occasion and show Kenyans that this is the House of reason and the House that has the interests of Kenyans at heart. The Government must be sensitive to the cost of living of its citizens. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in 1972, President Nixon brought a price control on oil in the USA where they pride themselves to be the excellence of free market economy. In the"
}