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{
    "id": 1219798,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1219798/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 149,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kikuyu, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Let me thank the Leader of Minority for asking for that statement. Standing Order 87 (2) says: “It shall be out of order to introduce an argument on any specific question upon which the House has taken a decision during the same Session, except upon a Motion to rescind the decision made with the permission of the Speaker”. I have read that Standing Order because having keenly listened to the Leader of the Minority Party, I do not know whether he intends to rescind the decision of the House and the Committee because the Committee also sits on behalf of the larger plenary and, therefore, a decision made in Committee, unless there is a Motion to rescind it, I just wonder what the Minority Leader may be inviting you to do. Further, he has alluded to the fact that the leadership of those in the Majority want to stifle any changes within the Minority. I did state here that it is not our business in the Majority to manage the Minority. We have no such intentions. We just invite the Minority to manage their own affairs within their coalition, just like we do in the Majority, without involving the Majority in how they arrive at their decisions. I did indicate when the Minority Whip raised that issue on the Floor here that, indeed, before the Committee a decision has been made, and that is how the Motion appeared on the Floor of the House in the manner it came without changes in the Minority Party. Even in Committee, we do indicate – and I want to repeat the same – in the House, the Minority has every right to make whatever changes they want to make and, as the Chairperson of the Selection Committee, I want to assure the Leader of Minority Party that should he indicate the desire to make any changes, we are ready and willing to convene a meeting. In the earlier meeting, we indicated that we will come up with a framework on how Members of Parliament will enjoy uninterrupted service in Committees during a Session of Parliament. Also, whenever need arises to change membership in a Committee or leadership, there is the basis for that so that there is objectivity in how we place and/or displace Members in Committees. Therefore, I want to invite the Hon. Leader of the Minority Party, if there are any changes that they want to make – and since the Hon. Leader of the Minority side and the Deputy Leader Hon. Robert Mbui, who was not in the meeting, are members of the Committee – we do not want the Committee to be a committee that sits only once in a Session of Parliament. We will occasionally sit to review the performance of Members in Committees on attendance and active participation, so that we encourage our Members to utilise their skills and expertise in committees. If you are a member of a committee and you do not attend the sittings of that committee, it is only fair that you allow another Member who has the time to offer before the committee. That is the kind of framework we want to ensure it takes place. I indicated that it is only in pursuit of fairness so that tomorrow, I do not remove Hon. Naomi from one committee and take her to another just at the whim of it. We ought to have a 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."
}