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{
"id": 1381441,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1381441/?format=api",
"text_counter": 235,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cherarkey",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13217,
"legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
"slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
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"content": "All of us are public servants. We must carry out our duty with diligence, honesty and transparency. That is why all of us queue to speak. We follow a certain order because it has been provided for. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, governors must know that they are workers. They are people’s servants. They are not rulers. You are the one who mentioned yesterday that governors are not supposed to be rulers, but leaders. I was having a discussion with the Garissa Women Representative, Hon. Amina Siyad, today. What is happening in Garissa County, presided over by Hon. Nadhif Jama, is unfortunate. She said that she is getting complaints and information that when women go to deliver in county public hospitals, they are being sexually exploited as they recover. This is tragic and so unfortunate. We must call out such unfortunate events. Ours is to represent all the counties. When you go to Garissa and other counties, you will find out that the people cannot access the water that we are giving here for free, yet there are water bowsers. In the last financial year, Garissa County received over Kshs12 billion in equitable shareable revenue. Can you believe there are people who are sleeping without drinking water? Can you believe women are being sexually harassed in hospital county hospitals? The county governments must do their job. The Governor of Garissa County is having a second and final term. When a governor is new, we could excuse them because they are still learning, the way yours is grappling with everything left, right and centre. Nandi County is also a sad story. Before elections, yours truly, if I had not tactfully evaded, the governor had hired people on County Government of Nandi’s payroll, to go and heckle other leaders or to cheer him while attending functions or to be the agents of nominations or part of the rigging brigade. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we must issue a clarion call that the issue of public service is about honesty, sacrifice, integrity and passion to serve the people. I am happy you spoke about Article 34 on the issue of media yesterday. After the debate, I received a lot of calls from media personnel who work in counties. They are saying it is safer for them to report stories of baby shower and other stories instead of reporting about county functions. This is because the moment they report and they are suspected to put the county in bad limelight, they are maimed, bludgeoned, attacked and harassed as they go to their houses. That is why we should not make mockery of Article 34 on media freedom in this Republic. The reason Nandi Media is under attack in Nandi County is because somebody in social media, filmed rats that were walking majestically within Kapsabet County Referral Hospital. The media picked that story and ran. The governor felt he was being portrayed in bad light so he decided to profile and ensure the media is being intimidated daily. I call upon the Kenya Union of Journalists, other sector holders and the Ministry of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government to protect our journalists. You saw what happened in Meru. I highly doubt there is a journalist who would want to report anything about that county government, because they know if you report, you can disappear like the late Sniper. We continue to condole and wish well the family as they recover from that tragic loss. That is why when a governor appears in the media, 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."
}