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{
    "id": 1420619,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1420619/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 69,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "friend, the Senate Majority Leader. Therefore, when we sit here and start lamenting, we are lamenting and pointing a finger at you. I would not say that you are failing, but other people could conclude that. This House must be respected. When we stood here and some of us argued, we interpreted Article 153 of the Constitution to say that a Cabinet Secretary can only appear before a Committee of the House. They are mandated to appear when invited to do so. However, the Judiciary saw it fit that they also appear before the Plenary. Now that they are here, it is also the reason we decided to be here. Our side of the House had decided not to attend because we did not want to violate the Constitution. The only thing we ought to do now is to look at the provisions of the laws that gives us powers to punish these individuals who fail to appear. Section 19 of our Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act is quite clear that there are consequences when a witness has been invited or summoned to appear, but fails to do so. I do not know why we are lamenting here. We should just do what we did in the last Parliament. The Majority Leader was seated here when we censured the Cabinet Secretary for Energy then and some consequences followed. You know some people think that we come here to keep talking, but we have a lot of power. Mr. Speaker, Sir, since you are seated there, you are like the Chair of the Committee. You should be the first one to say that we will now apply Section 19 of our Parliamentary Powers and Privilege Act of this country, so that these people can respect this House. The other day, we were given credit. They said we are doing better than the National Assembly because we are diligent and know the law, our rights and the powers. We are here as ombudspersons of citizens who have sent us to represent them. I would like to beseech you that we become decisive in our decision-making. We should send strong messages. When I saw the President saying that he will now ensure that the Cabinet Secretaries appear before the Floor of the House, what does it mean when they fail to appear? I do not want to use slang, but it is as if they are showing him the middle finger, uta do? Mr. Speaker, Sir, this is something that we need to be very serious about. The President and the Speaker have to be respected."
}