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{
    "id": 1370333,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1370333/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 77,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 170,
        "legal_name": "Bonny Khalwale",
        "slug": "bonny-khalwale"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. Like those who have spoken before me, I wish colleagues, distinguished Senators, a Happy New Year. As they say in soccer, you do not change a winning team. You will notice that the Senate Majority Leader, in constituting this Committee, has basically returned the old team. They did very well and there is need for us to allow that continuity because it is a winning team. Having said that, I have only two points. First, to send my condolences to the family of Kelvin Kiptum; a hero, sports icon and a living example of what youth should be. This is a very difficult moment for the family, the youth of this country and the sporting fraternity. We wish them well and hope they will overcome the pain. The second and last point I want to make is about the importance of this House. Two things happened when we were on recess which concerned me. The first is that we seconded Senators to a Mediation Committee and they joined colleagues from the other House. While on recess, I saw the Chairperson of the National Assembly Mediation Committee meet governors and make pronouncements informally through social media that they were reaching a solution on the sticking out issues, which we had been constituted to perform. This concerned me. Second, I saw the Council of Governors (COGs) actively talking about the division of revenue. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to remind Senators that we must never allow a situation whereby it looks like we are either incapable or failing in our core business. If governors cared to read the Constitution carefully, they have no role in legislation. In fact, under the Constitution, the only organ that has power to make decisions and have the force of law is Parliament. For them to go around giving the impression that they will decide how much money will go to county governments and urging us to ensure that figure X is taken to the counties is to presume that we either do not know what we are doing or they supervise us. It is our core mandate and we ask them to sit on their laurels, we know what we are doing. We are not going to pass any figure because of the opinion of one governor, a group or all governors. However, we shall do it"
}