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{
    "id": 111002,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/111002/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 245,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Bahari",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 156,
        "legal_name": "Abdul Bahari Ali Jillo",
        "slug": "bahari-ali-jillo"
    },
    "content": "At the same time and, perhaps, to wind up my argument, this is an organ of review. I think we expect to live with this Constitution for a long time. That is why we need to exhaustively discuss and make proposals of amendments that we think are radically important. Otherwise, what is the use of this House? Fine! I agree it is not a legislation process but it is an organ. Any organ, whether it is the heart or kidney has its functions. Those functions must be seen to be applied appropriately. It is only in this spirit that we are saying this House must play its rightful role. According to the Review Act, there is no organ which is supposed to dictate to the other. All organs are equal. The only thing that is going to determine our direction is the reasoning behind what the organs propose to do. You realize that the CoE, at every given moment whenever they make a decision, they try to justify that decision. Therefore, it is up to us who are in this House to try and redefine what we are not comfortable with and give a fresh justification. For example, in the Review Act, reference has been made about a Reference Group (RG) as part of a conflict resolution mechanism process. I do not see any situation in the Review Act where the RG is going to dictate to either the CoE or the National Assembly. It does not exist! If it so happens and CoE convinces the PSC to bring in the RG, it will propose recommendations on how to resolve conflict. It will be on the basis of decisions made by the CoE in conjunction with PSC after deliberations. I think that decision is going to be democratic. The appropriate recommendation will be made in re-drafting or passing the draft the way it is. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, since many hon. Member also want to make their contribution, I want to say that the structure that has been set up is the right one. For example, in matters to do with devolution, you will realize that 80 per cent of this country is arid and semi arid areas (ASALs) and through a deliberate Government policy, 80 per of the area has been ignored. Therefore, there is congestion in this country. You find us developing Mathare, Kawangware and Mukuru kwa Njenga. All those places sprung up as a result of wrong Government policies which must now be corrected through the new Constitution. It will devolve resources to ASALs and marginalized areas. Everybody will feel he or she is participating not because of love, but out of necessity for this country; we just want to move this country forward. The Senate is basically meant to hold the nation together so that nobody dictates to the other, irrespective of how influential you are or the numbers that you command within your community. This nation must hold together. That is envisaged in the Review Act. We must have a unitary Government in as much as we devolve resources. This nation must hold together. We will not be doing anybody any good by bringing a new Constitution that is going to dismember this country. The world is going in the direction of unification. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, you obviously know the issue of the East African Common Market, the East African Community, the African Union. That is the direction we are going. From the review Act, at any given time, whether we are proposing devolution or whatever, we have no intention of dismembering this country."
}