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{
    "id": 1483893,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1483893/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 251,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Omogeni",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13219,
        "legal_name": "Erick Okong'o Mogeni",
        "slug": "erick-okongo-mogeni"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. We are facing a very bad crisis. This afternoon a Senate of the Republic of Kenya is discussing a conduct of a governor who has refused to respond to summons issued by the Senate. Even in the most advanced democracies, you can never refuse to respond to summons of a House, more so a Senate. If you look at history, you will know what brought down President Richard Nixon. He was given summons by the Senate that was looking into his impeachment. The Senate ordered him to produce tapes that had some information on the Watergate scandal. He refused, went to court and waived immunity. The court sided with the Senate and directed him to tender those tapes to the Senate. It is the incriminating evidence in those tapes that made Richard Nixon to resign. If a President of a superpower like the United States of America (USA) can respect summons issued by an equivalent House - the Senate of the USA - what about this person called governor Guyo? We must rein in this character. We cannot accept the power and authority of this House to be whittled down. Sen. Cherarkey is a lawyer and he knows it. In fact, if you read the American Constitution, they do not have the kind of powers that we have as the Senate of the Republic of Kenya. The Constitution does not mention that the Senate of the USA is like a high court, like the way ours does. If need be, this person should be arrested and be brought here by none other than the Inspector- General of police. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, when you summon a governor, it is not a play game. We want to see some documents, information and records. How then can it be said we are a body that can oversight counties if we cannot have the privilege of asking for documents and they are brought to us? I am speaking with a lot of pain because this should not happen in a democracy, more so with a very progressive Constitution like the one we have. I hope we will go a little bit further and summon the Inspector-General of Police to appear here and tell us why he cannot arrest this governor and bring him before this House. We must show that we have teeth. We are not a toothless bulldog. We must demonstrate to governors, more so this governor Guyo of Isiolo County, that this House has got teeth and the powers equivalent to the High Court. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, if I get summons from the High Court, I will even skip tomorrows’ session. If I am summoned to appear before the High Court tomorrow, I will go running. That is what happens in the USA. When you receive subpoenas in the USA, you stop everything and respond, first, to the Senate. In fact, it is worse not to go, than receiving summons. I support that we need to do something. I support the passion with which the Senator of Isiolo County has fought to ensure that there is transparency. That she also 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."
}