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{
    "id": 1210532,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1210532/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 311,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Osotsi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13588,
        "legal_name": "Osotsi Godfrey Otieno",
        "slug": "osotsi-godfrey-otieno"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to also support this Motion. The Senate Business Committee is the heart of this Senate. Without it, we cannot even commence our work here as Senators. That is why, it is the first programme to be executed before we do any other thing. Therefore, it is a very important Committee. It is one of the two Committees where you are the Chair and that signifies the importance of the Senate Business Committee. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in future, we need to consider amending the Standing Orders so that we have a proper linkage between the Senate Business Committee and the Liaison Committee. I am saying that because it will help us in processing enough business for this House to debate. I am a Member of the Liaison Committee. We have raised this concern and said that maybe we need to consider having the Deputy Speaker, who is the Chairperson of the Liaison Committee, sitting in the Senate Business Committee. He will then be the link between the Liaison Committee, where business is processed and the Senate Business Committee. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I served in the House Business Committee of the National Assembly for the entire term of five years and I learnt a lot of things there. One of the things I learnt is that being given an opportunity to serve in the House Business Committee is a big privilege. Therefore, Members who serve in that Committee must be ready to demonstrate that they are capable, have high integrity and that they can keep secrets because a lot of secrets are going to be discussed in that Committee. Looking at the list that is before us, I have no doubt that the Members who have been selected by their respective parties have the ability to perform their role as Members of the Senate Business Committee (SBC). Mr. Speaker, Sir, about two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the Senate of the Republic of Nigeria. I realised that there are many things that this Senate can borrow from them, especially on the conduct of their equivalent SBC. The Senate is respected in that country because of the way members of their equivalent SBC behave and interact and generally the way they conduct themselves. There are many things we can borrow from other jurisdictions in the Commonwealth that can help us make our SBC operate and instill good virtues in our Members. We have seen what has happened today in this House. It is not something you would want to see as a Senator. When I was a Member of the National Assembly, I had a lot of respect for Members of the Senate because I perceived it as a House of reason and one with mature people."
}