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{
    "id": 1108727,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1108727/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 254,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) Wilberforce Oundo",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13331,
        "legal_name": "Wilberforce Ojiambo Oundo",
        "slug": "wilberforce-ojiambo-oundo-2"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Let me take this opportunity to thank the former Leader of the Majority Party for highlighting issues at hand. It is not the first time you have been invited to make a ruling on the constitutionality of a Bill. You have been severally invited and you have made a considered ruling. At the core here are two fundamental issues. First is public participation. It has been a debate in this country for many years. I sit in the Committee of Delegated Legislation and one of the sore issues that we have tried to deal with is what constitutes public participation. Is it just a talking show, or is it something where people come, make presentations and the Committee or regulations-making authority does not give any due consideration? Here is an issue that we need to consider. In the past, when a similar issue was raised, you ordered the committee to go back and do public participation afresh. What is emerging from the presentation by Members of the Departmental Committee on Health is that it seems there was some form of public participation, not a substantive one, but just a farce. That is the first issue that you need to consider. Secondly, it has been an argument in this House, for some time, as to what constitutes miscellaneous or omnibus amendments. Honestly speaking, with so many Bills being amended at a go, it becomes extremely difficult for Members to give an enriched debate in respect of the matter. We have invited you on this matter many times and you have made rulings the other way. Again, this is an opportunity for you to make a ruling. Thirdly, on the other side, this Bill is before the House for debate. During debate, Members persuade each other on the merits or demerits of the Bill. It might be important that at this particular time we test the Members of this House to see how many of us are keen debaters. How many of us will keenly follow the debate, pick out what is bad and what is good? When we come to voting The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}