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{
    "id": 1124561,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1124561/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 111,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orengo",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Minority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 129,
        "legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
        "slug": "james-orengo"
    },
    "content": "Secretary (CS) not attending the meeting this morning. I then hear Senior Counsel saying that the CS sent a written response which was presented by the CAS. I am worried about that trend. The more Parliament gets satisfied by junior representatives of the Executive, another day we will end up having an executive officer send to Parliament. The Constitution is very clear on the question of accountability. It is not the function of Principal Secretaries (PSs) or CASs. Anyway, CASs should not be talking to us because constitutionally, they are not recognized since they are not part of the structure of governance. If that is the arrangement they want with the Executive while I may want somebody to make mandazi for me in my office, that is my own problem. To appear before Parliament, it must be somebody with a constitutional responsibility. That is the whole idea. When our Committees summon a CS, we should not expect any lesser human being in terms of the constitutional arrangement. Otherwise, we are not doing our work properly. I know it is getting a little bit late in the day. I remember even during the Kenya African National Union (KANU) days, in the National Assembly, at the end of all Committee reports, there used to be an appearance of the “Big Five” before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). That included the five major Ministries that controlled the Government and the Attorney-General. Sen. Wako used to appear. Even during his most powerful times, Hon. Njonjo would also appear when summoned. We are getting into a trend where I can sit here as an MP and talk to a CS. Bure"
}