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{
    "id": 1370608,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1370608/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 179,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheptumo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13591,
        "legal_name": "Cheptumo William Kipkiror",
        "slug": "cheptumo-william-kipkiror"
    },
    "content": "Morocco is, indeed, one of the leading economies in Africa. It is very important that the relationship between Morocco and Kenya is established both in this House and in the country. This is a matter that my Committee will take it up with the Ministry and we will update the House on the position. I assure the House that we are going to engage the Ministry and come back to the House. Allow me to also comment on the issue raised by Members on the communication between your office and the comment by the PS for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. What I read from the comments of Members is that--- Dr. SingOei is indeed qualified to hold that office and he was approved by the National Assembly. Therefore, he is in that office by virtue of that approval. The only challenge that I see is that he was trying to clarify the true position as to whether Somaliland has an embassy in Kenya. I agree with Members that it is important that we stick to the proper communication channels. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you made a statement in your office, as our Speaker, having received the delegation from Somaliland and you had fruitful discussions with them. What the PS should have done was to reach out to you and clarify areas that he thought were not clear or correct in your statement. This is the way the go. Nobody in this House should give the impression that the PS is unqualified and did the wrong thing by raising issues on your statement. The only complaint, I want to say as the Chairperson of Committee on National Security and Foreign Relations, is that it is only important that the established communication systems between departments of Government or institutions should be pursued and followed. The PS could have written to you or called you. I was also concerned and I reached out to him and shared my concern with him that perhaps it would have been better for him to reach out to you and clarify whatever was not clear or correct anything in terms of our relationship between Kenya as a country and Somaliland. Nobody should in any way demean the Senate and the Office of the Speaker. If you look at the Constitution framework, Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary are established as independent institutions. It is only that we have to co-ordinate issues together on our governance. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we should not allow any impression to the public that there is conflict, misunderstanding or miscommunication between your office and that of the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. I assure the House that as the Committee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, we will engage the Ministry because we must read from the same script as a House, especially on matters of diplomacy between us and our neighbours and the countries in our region. I assure Members that I have listened very keenly to your concerns and shortly we are going to invite the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, sit with them and raise your concerns. We will come back to the House to assure you that we shall hold this Office of the Speaker of Senate and the Senate with the respect required. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."
}