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"id": 158643,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Machage",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Roads",
"speaker": {
"id": 179,
"legal_name": "Wilfred Gisuka Machage",
"slug": "wilfred-machage"
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"content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, unless we are careful, this House will stand accused by the Kenyan people of the crime of collective irresponsibility. We are setting precedent. You need to be careful in the ruling requested by the Member of Parliament for Kisumu West Constituency. As we know very well, somebody may tomorrow rise up in this House and say: âI declare myself the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.â Somebody else might say: âI am the Chief Justice.â That is exactly what is happening! When the Coalition Government was created, exactly one year ago, there were several facts that we knew. The Prime Minister was appointed by the President. On that day, when the President ably stated that he was appointing a Cabinet and that he was considering regional distribution, during which I was demoted as the Minister for the East African Community, the Prime Minister was appointed. He is, therefore, a creature of the President. The impression that we have created here is that we cannot, as a House, elect a Committee of this House as provided for by the Standing Order No.158, which simply says: âThe House shall elect a House Business Committee.â Mr. Speaker, Sir, why should we be forced into semantics by two people fighting for power in Government? It is, sometimes, so embarrassing to see these two gentlemen, when they walk with the President in the middle, outpacing each other to see who will be in front of the other. It is a shame! If I were one of the two, I would simply say: âTake all the powers! Be the Chairman of the Committee! Be the Leader of Government Business! Be Chairman of all Committees in Parliament, if you are able to do so!â"
}