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{
    "id": 1279397,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1279397/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 454,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kikuyu, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Therefore, we must disabuse the notion that the dialogue process has anything to do with “handshake,” or nusu mkate or access to power by the Minority Party. We want to entrench constitutionalism and the rule of law in our country so that after every election, whoever wins an election is allowed to govern in peace. Whoever, loses an election should know that there is tomorrow and they will have another chance to fight. The loser will also play the role of putting the Government in office on its toes. I am glad that today we have a President who has no problem with being held to account. We have a President who, through the Memorandum that he sent to the Speakers of Parliament last year, invited the House to consider amending the Standing Orders to allow cabinet secretaries to appear before the House. We have just concluded a session where cabinet secretaries appeared before the House and answer Questions put to them by the people’s representatives, in line with the provisions of Article 1 of the Constitution. This is captured in the opening preamble of this Motion, which says that the people of Kenya can exercise their sovereignty either through their elected representatives or by themselves directly. It is that sovereignty that the people of Kenya are exercising through their elected representatives by requiring cabinet secretaries to appear before the House to be held accountable. Hon. Speaker, I am happy that you noted that there are Members who ask Questions and then walk out of the chamber. I plead that we do not use the time set aside for Questions and Statements on Wednesday morning to play to the gallery. We should utilise that time to hold the Government to account and ensure that there is transparency in the conduct of Government business. We should ensure that there is accountability. We should hold those we have charged with responsibilities in the Executive to account for the time they have been given to serve the people of Kenya. That is the essence of this dialogue. We want to dialogue with our colleagues in the Opposition for them to take up their role as the minority coalition in the Government, because they are also part of the Government, but serving as the minority, to hold the Government to account. They should join us as we offer meaningful oversight to the Government. As Parliament, more so the National Assembly, that is charged with a huge mandate and responsibility under Articles 94 and 95 of the Constitution, including budget making, we must rise to the occasion to ensure that we do not just appropriate resources to Government institutions, but also offer meaningful oversight to those institutions. That way, we will ensure that we do not only speak about corruption, but this House - I repeat, this House - which appropriates resources, but also holds people to account over the resources that have been put under those institution’s charge as trustees, on behalf of the people of Kenya, who are the owners of those resources."
}