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{
    "id": 1227575,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1227575/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 283,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mungatana, MGH",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, the problems that this Senate has endured have something to do with a history in the formation. I was one of the members of the select committee that went to Naivasha. It is good to recall that the main target and thrust of our negotiations in Naivasha for the Constitution of 2010 was for the decision on whether we are going to go with the Presidential or Parliamentary system of Government. Many of the other issues were not really in focus. I remember working round many hours trying to find a compromise; meeting so many people back left and left and right. However, when the deal was struck that we were going to go with the Presidential System of Government; many things including the section that dealt with Parliament were not given the real attention they deserved. I remember well that the Members of Parliament (MPs) did not want to cede power to a new House; Senate. The solution was to propose a House that would be sitting just for four times in a year and to create a House similar to the one in the kingdom of Eswatini; where the MPs are elected and then from the various regions they sit down to elect members of the Senate. In other words, it is a secondary vote. We wanted to create a Senate similar to what existed then in Canada; where the MPs are the people who sit and do a secondary vote after the universal suffrage then the Senators would come in. Mr. Speaker, Sir, what we had in mind was to maintain all power within the National Assembly. We were very clear at that time that we needed to just honour some legislators who had served terms and were willing to serve in the Senate. The committee of experts decided that they were going to give the Senators universal suffrage through a direct vote. The Committee of Experts did not give the Senate correct powers. That is why we have historical issues in terms of the execution of our mandate. My prayer is that going forward, this House will be a one that makes laws and have a second bite at the cherry. Today, during the Statement Hour, we were told of a law that was passed specifically at the National Assembly just to benefit those who wanted to make maximum profit from cashew nuts, bixa and macadamia business. If that law had come to a second Chamber, a senior chamber such as ours, it would not have passed and the people would have been saved. Sen. (Dr.) Murango would not have had to cry because of the way the farmers in these areas are being mistreated due to a law that was passed in haste at the ‘lower’ House. It would help us to think about making approval sittings to just be the Senate’s preview so that only Senators like the United States of America (USA) where we borrow this system should be sitting to approve potential nominees from---"
}