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{
    "id": 1522357,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522357/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 133,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Rarieda, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Otiende Amollo",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hon. Speaker, that, must be tried on an hourly basis. The issue raised by Hon. Kangogo Bowen goes beyond what he has raised; the Budget Policy Statement. It goes to the jurisdiction of the Houses of Parliament. I urge you to issue an authoritative Communication in this House founded on Articles 94 and 95 of the Constitution. What I have noticed is an overreaching situation. It is not only in that committee, but also in the committees that we serve where a particular State department is supposed to appear, but we are told there is a simultaneous invitation by another committee of the Senate. If you examine keenly, you cannot see the nexus among that committee, the work of the counties and jurisdiction of the Senate. I believe this House endeavours to confine itself to its jurisdiction. When the Constitution says that we have no role in the impeachment of governors, this House has never tried to play a role. We watch from afar like the rest of Kenyans. When the Constitution says that in the impeachment of the President or the Deputy President, our role is limited to the initiation and we are not the trial chamber, we restrict ourselves to that initiation. This is something that many Kenyans do not understand. When I was out there, many Kenyans asked me why the National Assembly did not give the erstwhile Deputy President an opportunity to defend himself. We did not allow lawyers to come. This is because Kenyans do not understand that our role is restricted to initiation of the impeachment process. The Senate is the trial chamber, and we respect that. Reciprocally, the Senate must respect where the jurisdiction lies in the National Assembly. Firstly, failure to do so results in creating difficulties for the Government to work. Government cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries and other officials are permanently being invited to the two Houses of Parliament. They cannot even do their work. Secondly, it results in a very dangerous situation where one House of Parliament can make a recommendation while the other one makes the opposite recommendation. The ultimate effect is to reduce the final effect of Parliament which should not be allowed to happen. It must be remembered that when a committee of this House or Senate summons an officer of the Government, they have the powers of the court. However, that committee must address itself as to why it is given the powers of the court. A criminal court cannot summon someone on an environmental matter and vice versa. The committees of the Senate and the Senate must first address and ask themselves whether it is within their powers, before they assume the powers of the court. I wonder. We have many litigants. Some people call them busybodies, but I do not call them that. We encourage people to go to court. But I do not know The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}