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{
    "id": 1168003,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1168003/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 378,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13131,
        "legal_name": "Johnson Arthur Sakaja",
        "slug": "johnson-arthur-sakaja"
    },
    "content": "We have passed honorarium for former Councillors but they have not gotten a shilling. We passed a report on Solai Dam, we saw what happened. We have passed serious reports on our girls going to Saudi Arabia, being butchered and sent back in body bags. There is no Implementation Committee in this House. I would like to understand because maybe what you need to add is the process of amending Standing Orders because it is opaque, it is done behind closed doors then the report is rushed on the last day. I do not know how many Members here, including the Leadership were part of the amendments. Sen. Orengo has confessed that he has just seen the report today yet he is the Senate Minority Leader. I know he does not have much interest in how the Senate operates, moving forward. In fact, Sen. Orengo, Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr., and myself, who intend to be in the Executive as governors, have interest in how you operate for those coming back. However, we cannot be passing such important rules in such an opaque manner. Mr. Speaker, Sir, let us understand what was the reasoning. I am sure that was something that was conversed in that committee. Why do we not have an Implementation Committee? The effectiveness of the Senate going forward is not on the high-sounding declarations made on this Dispatch Box and on every Members’ seat. It is on what we are able to do and implement. Beyond that, it was good that we were able to get the Swahili version of our Standing Orders. I believe that was passed. That is a noble thing. We also need to understand how to communicate better. We could have appointed a Swahili day. We could have amended the Standing Orders to state that Thursday afternoons, debate be in Swahili. I am sure Sen. Faki, Sen. Madzayo and those of us who support the growth of Swahili language would support that. A good explanation as to why that has not been considered would be important before we vote. Possibly, in the next House, for those who are coming back like Sen. Faki and Sen. Madzayo, you might need to do another review of the Standing Orders at the beginning. For those of you who have the institutional memory from this House, you can guide your colleagues who join you when you come back on what you need to adjust on when the term begins. Beyond that, it is grammatical errors and it is not the kind of report we expected given our weekly misgivings and issues raised by Members whenever we have an issue in this House. That should have been taken into consideration. Finally, the next time this is done, all Senators should be alerted that there is a process of amendment of Standing Orders. If that happened, I am not aware. Members should be asked if they have recommendations on what needs to be amended and give them in. Then we probably have a kamukunji where we discuss what has worked, what has not worked and what we should improve on. That would lead to a more effective Senate, moving forward."
}