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{
    "id": 1522363,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522363/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 139,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Eldas, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Adan Keynan",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 41,
        "legal_name": "Adan Wehliye Keynan",
        "slug": "adan-keynan"
    },
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, I am glad because Hon. Otiende Amollo was part of the drafters of the Constitution 2010. I believe he still has some of the notes that led to the inclusion of the Senate in it. The Senate that I had in mind, the one that came later on towards the tail end of the sitting we had in Naivasha and the one that I see now, are completely different. Luckily, I am speaking from experience. The Senate that we had in the first Bomas draft, the one that was ultimately included in the Constitution 2010 and the one that I see, are completely different. The only thing that comes to the fore is an attempt to illegally create a constitutional niche that does not exist for the Senate. The Senate is one of the Houses of Parliament. You can be here today as a Member of the National Assembly and be a Senator tomorrow. We do not want to bad-mouth them. It is a respectable House. However, one thing that we will not accept is to create an avenue for chaos. The technical people in the ministries, whether they are cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries or chief executive officers, are operating in a very difficult environment. I am glad because the Leader of the Majority Party had spoken to this today. It is high time that we ask the Senate to be accountable to the Constitution and rule of law. This is not a sign of weakness, but of nobility and adherence to the rule of law. Even in our villages and homes, the person who has the power of the purse and firing is the ultimate authority. The National Assembly has the power of the purse and firing or sacking. The only thing that is missing, Hon. Speaker, is the flair. I want to address the Leader of Majority Party because he is the appointing authority of many chairpersons of committees. By saying that, I am not in any way demeaning. When you sit on your job because of the fear of the unknown, somebody outside there runs away with your mandate. When they do so, we run around and say that the Senate has run away with our mandate. Chairpersons of committees, do not be afraid of the Leader of Majority Party, Leader of the Minority Party or the Whips. Work in line with the mandate of your committee. Even where you want to assist the Government, you can still do so within the confines of your mandate. Here we are today, even issues that are within the confines of the National Assembly committees are being adjudicated at the Senate, simply because our Members have failed to discharge their mandate. That must be addressed. The other bit is that right now, this House is being bashed. Hon. Speaker, I am glad you are here. You have seen it. You have been a Senator, you have been in the Judiciary, you have been in the Executive, and now you are here. Tomorrow, God knows what you will be. It is high time you guided this House. Guide this House to a constitutional path that will respect the mandate of the Senate and that of the National Assembly. I know that over the last two years, you have been attempting to avoid that jurisdictional conflict between the Senate and the National Assembly, but this must be reciprocated. It is not coming. I know you have tried. I know there is a Bill. What we are approaching right now is madness. We expect respect and 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."
}