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{
    "id": 1227555,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1227555/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 263,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "There was delay in constituting of committees and changes in leadership position for Majority and Minority side. We have had this fight in this Session on the Senate Minority side. For a greater part of last term, we had this challenge on the Senate Majority side. It was not a very easy time when people have to let go of leadership positions. It has not been an easy time. These questions the Senate needs to resolve going into the future. This is because much as it is difficult here in the Senate, it is even more difficult in the county assemblies and they draw from the experience in the Senate. I know for a fact that they are county assemblies that up to now are yet to resolve leadership wrangles. My own County Assembly of Kericho, spent almost four months of this Session trying to resolve who is the Majority leader. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is a challenge to us as a House because we are the protectors and the custodians of devolution. We need to think about this either by legislation or provide a clear guidance on how to achieve on the positions of leadership here in the Senate as well as in our county Assembly. There was failure by governors in the 11th Parliament to honour summons and a quite number of them were fined. Unfortunately, in the Powers and Privilege Act we do not have the mechanism. We cannot send our Serjeant-At-Arms to go and arrest governors who have refused to show up or have jumped bail and those who have not paid their fines. We need to think through and consider that. Mr. Speaker, Sir, removal of Senators from office was quite a difficult time for us. Remember the case of Sen. (Dr.) Mwaura, Sen. (Prof.) Kindiki, Sen. Wetangula and Sen. (Dr.) Kang’ata was quite a difficult time for us. There were also delays of processing of Senate Bills during the 11th and 12th Parliament; we have not faced this challenge yet. I have to be optimistically cautious, so that I do not get ahead of myself. I have been around fairly long enough to know that it is all rosy when you are beginning terms of Parliament. However, as you get deep into the term and there are disagreements between both Houses, then the urge to withdraw or to ignore the Senate clicks in. On those occasions, you find that the Senate ends up suffering. Finally, as way of concluding and this I have picked randomly. I am just reflecting on colleague Senators that we have had the privilege of serving with over the last 10 years and moments and things that they did that will remain forever etched in the memory or the history of Senate. Those acts have defined us who we are today and what we shall be in the future. Number one is the former Senate Speaker hon. Ekwe Ethuro. I know for a fact and I speak like this because I belong to his side of the political divide then and even up to now. I do not think this is something that you need to be hearing. Part of the reason he lost his job as Speaker of the Senate is that on many occasions in the 11th Parliament, he was called to defend the position of the Senate against what you would call, “the appointing authority” some of them extremely powerful."
}