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{
    "id": 1371812,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1371812/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 179,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orwoba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this Bill by Sen. Osotsi. I have been in the Senate for about 17 months and I have seen how we struggle as legislators to play our role in oversight. I have seen how we are literally sent by the people who put us in these positions to hold accountable certain offices, yet we are unable. The most we can do is prepare Statements, move a Bill or raise a Question. At the end of the day, even these offices which we are oversighting are unable to take us seriously because what is the worst that we can do as a House? Maybe we can propose something that should be implemented or create a Bill that will take another two years to be assented into law. Sometimes it is very frustrating. Madam Temporary Speaker, at a time like now as women of this country we are wondering who we are going to cry to. We are wondering what we are going to do. People are asking us what we are doing in Parliament and what kind of laws we are pushing here. You cannot legislate good behavior if you do not have the tools to do this. For instance, we have seen the cases of femicide rising because there are no repercussions. People think there is nothing that can be done. After all, if they are taken to remand, they will be given a cash bail. They will come out and prolong the process in the Judiciary together with all these tactics being used. A clear example is where we call upon a certain State agency, an officer of the State department, a Cabinet Secretary or someone in authority who has the tools to actually make the changes that we need in that space to safeguard women yet they simply say they are unavailable. I look forward to understanding this Bill further. I know Sen. Osotsi said that once this Bill passes and is assented to, we can make arrests. Regarding this issue of femicide that we are talking about, we had that man called Matara who had been reported severally. Three or four cases had been put out at the gender desk. As a House that plays oversight, safeguards Kenyans, particularly women, we should be able to say at one point: We are writing a letter to ask the IG to come here so that we can ask him what the gender desk is all about. We should reach a point where if we are not getting the proper answers and are not being told what is not happening in those departments, then we should be able to say as a House: Since there is no clarity on that matter and a certain officer who is required to give clarity is not available, by all means we should have the powers to arrest that person, bring them to account in this House and force that we get some explanation."
}