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{
    "id": 1200613,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1200613/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 16,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ugunja, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Opiyo Wandayi",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I wish to second the Motion that is before the House on the constitution of the HBC in line with the requirements of Standing Order 171. To echo what Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah has said, there is no doubt whatsoever that Hon. Members who have been placed on this important Committee qualify. In my view, they are more than equal to the task that lies ahead. This is an extremely important Committee in the operations of the House. I urge my colleagues to approve the list. Once the Committee is constituted, I would like it to go out fully and embark on its mandate. One of the biggest tasks that lie ahead is to ensure that business that is prioritised to come before the House is business that advances the interests of the public. This Committee should ensure that this House engages in matters that are of importance to the nation. It is on record that from as far back as the 11th Parliament, there are reports which have continued to lie on the shelves of this House—reports which should have found their way to the Floor of this House for deliberation and eventual determination one way or the other by the House. Such reports are still lying idle on the shelves of Parliament. Once constituted, I urge the Committee to take it upon itself to prioritise such business. I will not go into details of those reports. If I do so, I will be opening a can of worms. Hon. Duale, I am sure you know what I mean by that. This Committee has its work cut out. I also hope that once this Committee embarks on its work, it will adopt a bipartisan approach to issues and prioritise issues that are of interest to the country. That is the only way this Parliament can move forward and execute its mandate. Currently, the country is facing myriad challenges. The cost of basic commodities is getting out of reach for the common man. Food prices specifically are out of this world. That is something that needs to be prioritised by this Committee so that the House can deal with it for the country to go back to where it should be. The country is facing serious insecurity issues. Kenyans are being butchered day in, day out like wild animals. We need to address the issue of insecurity in the country. It is an issue that needs to be prioritised by this Committee. Going forward, we should make it a rule rather than the exception that whatever goes through the HBC and ends up on the Floor of this House is only that which advances the cause of the country, and not one that advances parochial interests. This country is now past the campaign period. We expect everyone in the Legislature and the Executive to get down to work. Everybody should do their work. We expect those in the Executive to leave campaign hangovers behind them and focus on that which advances the cause of the country. Likewise, this House should now operate beyond the campaigns and deal with issues that are of utmost importance; issues that unite us rather than those that divide us. This is a committee that will be very instrumental in those endeavours. Without saying too much, I second and urge my colleagues to approve the list. Thank you."
}