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{
    "id": 1547725,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1547725/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 259,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. M. Kajwang’",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13162,
        "legal_name": "Moses Otieno Kajwang'",
        "slug": "moses-otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": "then for those of us who are still in pre-publication scrutiny on our Bills, it is a bit discouraging. So, I hope we can look at our internal processes and find a way of fast- tracking things. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I would like to hail the National Assembly that for the first time they have not pulled the money Bill card, which has been used to kill legislation that is originating from the Senate. This is the spirit with which we should operate. It must be put on record that we can never condemn the National Assembly in a wholesome manner. There are very good people in that House and I interact with them. We interact with them in our counties. We interact with them in social places within the precincts of Parliament. You will find them at the restaurant, gym and library. There are very good people in the National Assembly. Let it not be a wholesome condemnation that this Senate has a fight with the entire institution, or that House has a fight with the entire institution of the Senate. What sometimes gets out of order is just overzealous Members who because of local competition and local politics, want to belittle the institution because perhaps there is a Senator who sits here and seems to be getting the advantage at the ground. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the consensus on this Bill has further proven that point. That if we get our act right, we can work together for the betterment of this nation. I hope that can also apply to the other Bills that have painstakingly taken our time to process. For instance, allocation of resources that should be going to county governments. These county governments are the theatre of operation where even empowerment for persons with disabilities starts at. You do not expect that persons with disabilities should troop to Nairobi to seek opportunities. That is why devolution was brought. So that through the principle of subsidiarity, if someone is impaired and is unable to travel or walk, you do not force them to climb a plane or to take a train or a bus to come to Nairobi to seek opportunities. Those opportunities can be found there at the county level. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, that is why even if you find yourself in a situation where you do not agree with your governor, you cannot disagree with the concept of devolution. It must be made clear that when we criticize and we put governors on the spot and in the firing line because of misuse of public resources, we will never stop supporting devolution. Bad governors will come and go, but those counties will remain. Bad governors will be elected and will be kicked out of office. However, the people in the counties are Kenyans and they deserve to get services. I will conclude just by encouraging the House that we quickly process this Bill, so that it also goes on record that this House has processed a number of Bills which have originated from here and have become law. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, my County Boundaries Bill seems to have gone to purgatory. It is somewhere. We are never sure whether it will go to heaven or hell. It originated from the Senate and we do not know the end of it. I hope that the National Assembly will prioritize the Bills that come from the Senate, the same way that the Senate has always prioritized the Bills that come from the National Assembly. I support the Report of the committee. 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."
}