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{
    "id": 1499853,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1499853/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 44,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Kingi",
    "speaker_title": "The Speaker",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " It is not a chairman of a parastatal nor a commission. Everybody is answerable to Parliament, including the so-called independent commissions. The challenge is that the Senate cannot have the Chairman of that Commission take the podium that you have just taken for purposes of responding to these questions. Therefore, they have to respond to these questions through the parent Ministry. We understand that the NLC is not answerable to the Ministry. However, the question is not by the Ministry, but Parliament. For them responding to that question does not in any way mean that they are answerable to the Ministry. You are just a conveyor belt for purposes of giving us that information from the NLC. The NLC is not the only independent commission. There are a number of them. Any questions directed to such commissions, the information is always brought to the House by the parent Ministry. You need to let the NLC know that by providing information to the Senate through you does not mean that they are answerable to the Ministry. The Ministry is only conveying that information to the Senate because we cannot have the NLC come to the Senate for purposes of responding to our questions. You need to make them understand that the Ministry by seeking the NLC to provide information is not interfering with their mandate. Neither is the Ministry saying you are answerable to us. Let them give you the information. As you come to the Senate on matters relating to the NLC, have them tagged along so that they sit with you and provide any supplementary information that is required. They cannot hide behind that argument that they are independent and, therefore, cannot give the Cabinet Secretary information. If that were the case, how are we going to get information, if not through the Ministry? This Government has three arms of Government; the Executive, the Judiciary and Parliament. Independent commissions cannot purport to be a fourth arm of Government. They cannot."
}