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{
    "id": 1243826,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1243826/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 245,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sifuna",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13599,
        "legal_name": "Sifuna Edwin Watenya",
        "slug": "sifuna-edwin-watenya"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me time to also contribute to this Motion. I am a Member of the SBC and a champion of the idea that we need to return this House to the grassroots in order to maintain contact with the people. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, first of all, as a new Member of this House, I have felt the insulation that you get when you walk into this Chamber. As you are aware, apart from me and maybe my brothers from Kiambu, Machakos and Kajiado counties, the Senator for Turkana comes from very far. Sometimes, that distance, coupled with the security arrangements that we have in this particular place, can make you feel extremely insulated from what the people are actually telling us. I am a firm believer that there has to be constant contact between representatives of the people and the people themselves, especially in controversial times such as the ones we live in. I would have loved to see more engagements in more counties. In fact, I agree with my colleagues here who have proposed that we need to increase the sort of sittings that we have in a year, so that we can cover more of these counties. Let us not fear the people. In fact, it would be extremely interesting if the history of this Senate Mashinani is anything to go by; that we should be able to go back and do the business that we transact in this House in close proximity with the people. I believe that the closer you are to the fire, the faster you cook. Some of our colleagues here have taken decisions that we strongly disagree with. I would love to see those decisions being made in the presence of the people. Sometimes, I can come here and claim that I speak for the people of Nairobi City County, when I know for a fact that I would be lynched if I went to Ofafa Jericho tomorrow and say that, yes, I support the demolition of Ofafa Jericho, so that new houses can be constructed. I will not even be able to leave that estate because the people of Ofafa Jericho have given express instructions that as far as they are concerned, they do not want their estate to be demolished. I would love to see a situation where critical votes on critical issues that affect"
}