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{
    "id": 1252269,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1252269/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 265,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Oketch Gicheru",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Before you read Standing Order No. 198, you start with Standing Order No.197. I want to read it for the benefit of the Jubilee Members, who feel a little bit discontented. Standing Order No. 197 (1) states that- “Unless otherwise provided for by any written law or these Standing Orders, the Senate Business Committee shall, in consultation with parliamentary parties nominate Senators who shall serve on a Select Committee. Mr. Speaker, Sir, first, Jubilee is not a parliamentary party. Secondly, you are a Member of the Senate Business Committee (SBC) that came up with this Committee that the Senate Majority Leader has moved in this House. I believe that you did this in consultation with those political parties or relevant coalitions and came up with those names in this House. Why should that be debated? Mr. Speaker, Sir, if you read Standing Order No. 198, it says- “In nominating a Senator to serve in a Select Committee, the Senate Business Committee where the Chair sits, shall ensure that the membership of each Committee reflects the relative majorities—\" I want to stop there. The term relative is an implied antecedent. Every word that is used in this Standing Orders has a meaning. It means that we must look at perceived proportionality that can allow debates in this House. Jubilee Party has constantly aligned with the Majority side. That is why the word relative was used here. In fact, I wish that the Senate Majority Whip was here. This is because in the bipartisan talks, he was there when hon. Adan Keynan was proposed to be among the Kenya Kwanza side in the talks. So, there is a perceived alignment of Jubilee Party with Kenya Kwanza. It is not bad because people are free to do that. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I urge you to put an end to this debate about the place of Jubilee Party in this committees. This is because Members of Jubilee who do not take time to read these Standing Orders are forcing you to violate the Standing Orders and question the decision of SBC, in which the Chair, who is the Speaker, sits. Let us dispense the matter that the Senate Majority Leader has put. It has more weight and seriousness than these domestic wrangles. If Jubilee Party so wishes, it can choose and dissolve in the Azimio coalition. I thank you."
}