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{
"id": 1402637,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402637/?format=api",
"text_counter": 136,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Orwoba",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "have a section of politicians running to the courts ensuring that the next Deputy Governor is not impeached. Therefore, we need to understand that it is not only the impeaching of that person in office, but what happens next has a huge effect on the services being delivered to the people. It is sad that until today, more than a month after the impeachment, my County of Kisii, has been unable to swear in the nominated Deputy Governor. Perhaps when Sen. Cherarkey is done with this one, because he has a history of knowledge on these kinds of Bills, I challenge him to also bring some amendments that will ensure that once the Senate, the ‘Upper’ House has executed a matter as grave as impeaching a governor or a deputy governor, there should be no other legal loopholes that are being explored by rogue politicians that will make the people of that county, for instance, Kisii County, not get a replacement for the impeached individual, in this case, the Deputy Governor. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, as this Bill is being tabled, one of the things I would have as an amendment is on continuity. We are talking about from one-third to two- thirds, and that is okay. We have raised the threshold. However, in the event that the threshold has already been raised and a CECM is still impeached, we will need a transition plan that is within a legal framework. This is because sometimes you have a governor wanting to get rid of their cabinet and it takes up to five or six months because of all the loopholes of people running to court. There has to be a piece of legislation that is brought to the ‘Upper’ House, meant to protect devolution, to ensure that devolution is working. The business of impeaching CECMs, governors or deputy governors should also be accompanied with the business of continuity. I hope I am making sense. There has to be framework even if we are guided by the number of days. However, we have to make that process more efficient by legislating on what happens next after that impeachment. I have heard my colleagues say that we are only impeaching governors and their deputies and not anyone else. If I am not wrong, the National Assembly that deals with all oversight issues of the national Government has a Motion to impeach a Cabinet Secretary. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there should be a first time for everything. I truly hope that the Motion in the National Assembly will be taken seriously and if there are grounds enough to impeach the Cabinet Secretary, because the issue of fake fertilizers is something we do not take lightly, let it be an example. This is so that other Cabinet Secretaries who are taking their appointments lightly will understand that they might have favour from God and the appointing authority, but when it comes to oversight, the National Assembly and the Senate are not here to give favours. We are going to do our work as it is and give a strong message. I am glad that we are discussing only impeaching governors and deputy governors, and not their cabinet secretaries. We should even be asking why we are not impeaching Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of state agencies. Sometimes, you look at the work we do in these committees. We are constantly calling in CEOs of state agencies and our business is just inviting them to explain this or that. However, we should legislate on a threshold like how many times you should be called because your Ministry or the institution you are running to ask you what is happening. At one point, we will need to 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 and AudioServices, Senate."
}