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{
    "id": 1375810,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1375810/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 244,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Okenyuri",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "gain its rightful place in society. The Senate needs to bite. In fact, the proposal of a fine of Kshs2 million needs to be increased to rise higher. We should introduce a situation where some of these officials are not going to have anticipatory bail. I know there are people who are going to argue that it will interfere with their rights and privileges. However, equally, as representatives of the people who spare time to sit in those committees, it is a great disservice to us to wait for people who do not show up. The situation of the anticipatory bail in this case should not appear. The issue of accountability is very central and key to this administration led by our own President Dr. William Ruto and we should be leading from the front. We cannot have Government officers being summoned to committees and all they do is send apologies and request that we reschedule our meetings. I agree with my Chair, Sen. Mandago - who has just stepped out - that it takes a lot of meetings to have a CS appear in front of a committee yet some of the issues are so dire. Look at this scenario. A member who has looted public resources and is being expected to appear before a committee and does not show up; by the time Parliament expires, these guys will have already gotten away with the crimes they have committed. Maybe the next time they appear before Parliament, they will be paupers with no money for us to recover from them. The sanctions must be severe and enforceable for this House to regain its rightful place as the Upper House. It is not going to be business as usual. It is not just for the county chief officers. It looks worse for the chief officers because they have an opportunity and money that has been allocated to them. They are taking advantage of that fact to easily pay the Kshs500,000 which an ordinary mwananchi from Nyamakima or Kenyenya cannot raise. It should not be very easy for someone to pay an amount of Kshs500,000, which an ordinary man has not even heard of. People who really understand how critical accountability is should appear and honor parliamentary summons. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, as legislators and representatives of the people, we ensure that we keep time and attend these committees. Members of the public are waiting for some of their issues to be heard but the next thing you hear is someone asking that a meeting be rescheduled We do not want to deal with such business. Sen. Osotsi, the issue of anticipatory bail should not arise in this case. The proposed fine of Kshs2 million is on the lower side especially when you look at the case of chief officers. That is money they can sign off very quickly because they have huge resources that are sent down to the counties for use in assisting people. There are countries such as Swaziland and South Africa which have taken very radical measures against people who fail to appear before committees. We need to borrow a leaf from those countries, so that we can change how we generally carry ourselves as leaders and as members of the public. In as much as we want to talk about this from that angle, it is in the Kenyan culture whereby people think they can easily get away with whatever ills they commit and nothing will happen to them. Someone kills an individual and is still walking out there in society. No action is taken. It should not be that we are supporting this amendment to curb some of the perceived “big fish”. It should not be easy for the ‘big fish’ to get away with some of the ills they The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard Services,Senate."
}