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{
    "id": 1516710,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1516710/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 365,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Tom Odhiambo Ojienda, SC",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I hope this session of Parliament is reflective of the diversity in representation and a true reflection of the broad-based government as we have it right now. I can see that this afternoon, we have Sen. M Kajwang’ our Senate Minority Leader Sen. Madzayo, sitting on the majority side. I have seen other Senators sitting on this side. I saw Sen. Cherarkey sitting on the side of the minority. It is a true reflection that we are one House, and in exercising our mandate under Article 96 of the Constitution, we will oversight government and the role belongs both to the majority and the minority. I support the Motion tabled for the Senate Business Committee and the composition of the committee because it reflects a diversity of experience; a diversity that will lead this House into the next phase. May I take the opportunity to repeat the wise words that have been shared in this House by the Senator for Homa Bay County, Sen. M. Kajwang’, on the need to prioritise the proposed constitutional amendment of Articles 109, 111, and 113 of the Constitution that speaks to the role of Senate in legislation. The Senate cannot, in defining law or laws that touch on counties, exclude any law because every law that emanates from the National Assembly touches on counties. Therefore, of necessity and legally, every law should be subjected to the Senate, and every enactment from the National Assembly should pass through the Senate. This afternoon, we saw a lot of action in the National Assembly. That is what I call legislative diversity. There was a bit of jostling here and there. The minorities sitting in the seats of the Majority Side and vice versa pursuant to a decision of the High Court by a three- bench judgement decision. I believe that from the Standing Orders, that decision is still subject to appeal and the lawyers should take up their role in dealing with those issues. I hope the National Assembly will set the question of who is the Minority and Majority. That is not a question, however, for the Senate because we are not part of that litigation. Madam Temporary Speaker, the Senate Business Committee (SBC) has a role to exhaust the business of this House that was not concluded in the last Session. That is of importance because we must focus on Bills that touch on our counties. There are 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."
}