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{
    "id": 175770,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/175770/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 243,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Imanyara",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 22,
        "legal_name": "Gitobu Imanyara",
        "slug": "gitobu-imanyara"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Chairman, Sir, I was just saying that I regret that I have to stand and oppose this proposed amendment for the following reasons. First, we did discuss this in both the Sub-committee and in your Committee. What informed this recommendation is that the Leader of Government Business comes to the House as the Principal Assistant to the President. We wanted to extend the same privilege that the President enjoys when he is in the House. Secondly, it was felt that it was only an improvement of the current practice where, every week, the Office of the Clerk does, in fact, circulate the business of the House for the following week. We did not want a situation where the business of the House is anticipated, because if you allowed these notices of the Government's forthcoming business, then you will be anticipating the debate that will be coming to the House the following week. That is not what we want to encourage. Thirdly, we did not want to create a situation of competition of the two offices of the Leader of Government Business and the Prime Minister. The position is that the Prime Minister is, by the very provisions of the Constitution, given specific responsibilities and is accountable to this House. The Leader of Government Business is the Principal Assistant to the President. He does represent His Excellency the President in the House. In those circumstances, we did not want to create a situation, as it were, where there is competition between the Leader of Government Business in the House and the Office of the Prime Minister. Because both of them represent the same Government, the feeling of the Committee was that it is the Prime Minister who should be 4032 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 10, 2008 subject to the process of questioning in Parliament. In fact, as you notice today, the Presidential Circular issued at the beginning of this term does define the Office of the Prime Minister in very clear language, and specifically states that he is accountable to Parliament, whereas the role of the Principal Assistant to the President, who is the Leader of Government Business, is simply to act as the Principal Assistant to the President. We do not want the two offices to create confusion."
}