Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1167984,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1167984/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 359,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wako",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 366,
        "legal_name": "Amos Sitswila Wako",
        "slug": "amos-wako"
    },
    "content": "meantime, I should always catch the Speaker’s eye. I was also told that whenever I stand up, he would recognize me. You have done that very well and I do not complain. However, other jurisdictions recognise the longest serving Members in their Standing Orders. Number one, two and three should be recognized. The other one is that we are being left out on the issues of East Africa and regional integration. The reply I received from you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, is that it would be considered at the end of the year. You said that by the time I brought it, there was no budget for that type of thing. I am surprised that it is not here. Currently, it is being handled by the National Cohesion and Integration Committee (NCIC), which has enough on its plate when it comes to cohesion issues within the nation. The issues of integration within the region are being left behind. The National Assembly has a Committee devoted to that. The East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) is now passing many Bills touching on devolved maters. Those Bills never come to us to at least consider and approve. As we approve this, I strongly appeal – I would like it to be on record – that the 13th Senate should seriously consider having an East African and Regional Cooperation Committee. This Committee will deal specifically with the East African integration issues. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as you know, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has now joined the Community. It is a big thing now and yet here we are, without any say whatsoever. Most of the Member States have an Upper House like ours which considers integration issues. For instance, Rwanda, Burundi and others have upper houses which are specifically devoted to looking at regional issues and here we are, left out. I considered that and I was told it was a bit too late and that there was no budget for it. Of course, people had vested agenda in NCIC and so on. Therefore, this is an appropriate time that as we come into the 13th Assembly, we should have a new Committee altogether. I strongly feel that those two issues should be considered; recognition of seniority and regional integration. Seniority here, is in terms of the longest serving Members of the Senate. We must also be up to speed with what is going on in the region, particularly with big expansion of the East African Community (EAC) the way it is. The third issue is about the Committee on Implementation. I am speaking on this one on behalf of my neighbour here, who tells me that the Committee on Implementation was supposed to be revived. Again, it was not revived. So, those three issues should have been part of this Bill. I hope that the next Parliament will consider those issues seriously."
}