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{
"id": 1371845,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1371845/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Omogeni",
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"speaker": {
"id": 13219,
"legal_name": "Erick Okong'o Mogeni",
"slug": "erick-okongo-mogeni"
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"content": "In fact, for the fine, if you convert the amount charged using the Kenyan exchange which is the shilling to the dollar, the fine for the US Senate is 100,000 US Dollars. That is equivalent to Kshs15 million and what we are proposing here is Kshs2 million. Therefore, if you do not comply, the Senate has even what they call criminal contempt powers of Congress. If you do not respond, they can convict you and sentence you to a maximum of 12 months; not less than four not more than 12. If you remember in 1982, there was a lady who was serving under Ronald Reagan. I think she was called Anne Gorsuch. She was under the environmental authority under Ronald Reagan. She was summoned to appear before the congress to produce certain documents but she declined. However, when she was pushed further and when she faced the criminal contempt proceeding of the Senate, she not only produced the documents but she opted to resign. She quit. On the case of former (US) President Richard Nixon, he was required to produce some tapes that were in the custody of White House and he refused. In fact, he filed a reference to the Supreme Court citing Presidential privilege. However, the Supreme Court of America sided with the Senate and ordered him to produce the document. Madam Temporary Speaker, if we have to elevate the stature and the powers of this House, we must enhance the punishment, not only to give a fine but to also have power to convict. We can learn from other jurisdictions. If you follow International News, just last year an officer called Cannon that was serving under former President Trump was convicted by the Senate and sentenced to four months, just for failure to appear before the Senate. If we need to have a House that can fully hold other Government institutions to account, then we should support this Bill. As I have said, Article 247 gives us legislative power to create another police service, which we can name Parliamentary Police Service. I fully thank Sen. Osotsi for originating this Bill and this will be a game changer. Currently, we are going through the budget policy statements and if you look at the columns there, the Government is asking us what your objectives were. What did you want to attain as a Senate? You will say there you know in response maybe to statements or in furtherance of our powers to hold Government accountable, we wanted to summon this number of Principal Secretaries and Cabinet Secretaries but you will see there is a gap. Additionally, as we ask for more money, the National Treasury is asking why you did not attain these goals. How come you intended to have about 20 Cabinet Secretaries appear before you, but it seems only 14 appeared? We usually give a projection at the beginning that we intend, in furtherance of our mandate, to summon this number of Cabinet Secretaries. If you do not, it appears in the Budget Policy Statement, and you must defend. This gives us a very good case to advance the reasons behind this Bill. Madam Temporary Speaker, let me give you an example of when were sitting as National Dialogue Committee (NADCO). The appointees of the President, including the Majority Leader from the National Assembly and the Senate Majority Leader, issued summons to the seven former commissioners of the Independent Electoral and"
}