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{
    "id": 219525,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/219525/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 353,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Mungatana",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 185,
        "legal_name": "Danson Buya Mungatana",
        "slug": "danson-mungatana"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, may I take this opportunity to thank the Mover of this Motion and the leader of the delegation that went on a study tour on our behalf. The Mover could not have put it better. It is my first time in this House--- God willing, we will be here for many years. We should strive to improve things that we find in a place. I am very happy and supportive of this Report because, in the five years that we have been here, this is the first Report from the Whip's office that attempts to make that step forward to improve from where we are. This House has been involved in modernising the Parliament of Kenya. We have focused so much on the structure. We have put in a lot of money. We have spent a lot of money to beautify May 24, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1647 the building and so on. In fact, this is where the real modernisation should take place. The practices that exist need to change with the realities of time. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to look at a few things that have caught my attention in this Report. First and foremost, we are talking about the status of the Whips and, in particular, the Government Chief Whip. I agree with the recommendations that have been made in the Report, that we should recognise all the other Whips. But if we have adopted the traditions and practices of the House of Commons--- We have been told that the Office of the Government Whip in Britain is next to 10 Downing Street. The Whip sits in the Cabinet. We have also been told in Ireland, the Government Whip is not a member of the Cabinet, but he sits when parliamentary matters are being determined or discussed. If we have inherited so much from Britain, what is wrong with us coming up with a new Minister in the Office of the President in charge of parliamentary affairs? I say that because many times, the Government side has suffered because the Government Chief Whip has not been able to reach State House when he needs to do so. We have to be very open and truthful. The status of the Whip is not where it is supposed to be. If Ministers, for example, are sitting to discuss what Bills will be brought to the House and the Government Chief Whip is not in that meeting to tell them: \"There is hostility in the House! Please, do not bring it! You particular Minister, you are unpopular right now! Let us go with this other one because we have a chance of making this Bill pass.\" These are the realities. We need to modernise our operations. Modernising is something that goes on and on. We have created many ministries in this Government. This Government has created, for example,---"
}