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{
    "id": 1200116,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1200116/?format=api",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": ": Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I hope you will indulge the Member for Westlands when the time comes. This is one of the most critical duties of the National Assembly of the Republic of Kenya under the Constitution, 2010. The idea of vetting persons nominated to be appointed as State officers is a noble idea. If you want to know how serious this exercise is in some jurisdictions, take a visit to the United States of America (USA) Senate during their confirmation hearings. It is such a serious exercise that Capitol Hill comes to a standstill when the USA Senate is conducting confirmation hearings of nominees appointed by the President of USA. For us therefore, being a presidential system in line with the US system, we need to equally take this exercise seriously. Article 152 (2) of the Constitution and Standing Order No.45 say that this House in its entirety, is the organ that does the vetting. The Committee will, of course, do the nitty-gritties, but this House has got the ultimate power to reject or approve every single nominee. It is a duty that we must exercise judicially, with utmost decorum and seriousness. We have been told that the Constitution provides frameworks for those appointments. As we know, however, even as the Committee on Appointments starts its sitting once approved, I will ask them from the beginning, and this is very important, that even as we look at the suitability or otherwise, of individual persons who have been nominated by the President, you need to first look at the whole package in context. Does it meet the tenets of the Constitution? Article 10 of the Constitution clearly talks about values and principles of good governance and national values. We know there are issues of equity and regional balance. Do we have a sense of that in the entire package? Before you get to address the suitability of individual Members, does it meet the gender balance? Does it address issues of Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) and so forth? We must not lose sight of the requirements of the Constitution, dictates and requirements of the Leadership and Integrity Act, Public Officer Ethics Act and the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act. I will be pleading with the Members of this Committee and the whole House that we take it upon ourselves to interrogate fairly, but intensely, each and every individual. 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."
}