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{
"id": 281540,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/281540/?format=api",
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Mbadi",
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"speaker": {
"id": 110,
"legal_name": "John Mbadi Ng'ong'o",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I think it should be understood that many of us, if not all, are for devolution. We want county governments to work and we want the Public Finance Management Bill to be passed into law so that we can have a legal framework within which our finances can be managed in this country. But having said that, the way this Motion is drafted, I would like to state categorically, that my vote is lost. This House will not get my positive vote on this Motion. I will oppose this Motion up to the end and so if you were counting to whip 222 Members of Parliament, know that you can only whip 221. Mine is out of it. Why? This is because I do not want to encourage impunity by the Executive. This House sat here even late in the night to deliberate on the County Governments Bill. We agreed, as a House and the Government Side was properly represented. After we had made agreements, a memorandum came from the Executive with the same authoritarian tendencies that we left on 27th August, 2010, pushing down our throats that we must again amend the County Governments Bill in line with what the Executive wants. For you to overrule and override the President, you know the threshold. I expected, even though I fully support the extension of time on the Public Finance Management Bill, that the two would be separated so that I could easily take my vote the way I want. I would have voted “yes” for the extension of time for the Public Finance Management Bill and voted “no” for the extension of time on the County Governments Bill so that the Executive can know that they cannot intimidate us, blackmail us or force their view on this House. So, if the Government has refused to see sense in what I was trying to plead with the House to accept, to split the request to extend time, then I am only left with one alternative and no one should intimidate me with the dissolution of Parliament. If it is dissolved, I will go for elections, after all, even if it is next year. What is the problem if I go today? Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, even if I go for elections and lose today, I will still remain John Mbadi. I will be a former Member of Parliament. At least, I will be called an honourable Member because that is a title that I have earned even if I am voted out today. Therefore, I urge the Government not to intimidate us by saying that if we do not act in a specific way--- We know that is what is provided for in the Constitution. However, they are also failing to appreciate that the Constitution, before, arriving at that dissolution of Parliament provides for petition. The Chief Justice will ask Parliament to act in a specific way and if we refuse, that is when that will apply. They are leaving out that deliberately to scare Members of Parliament as they always do so that we feel intimidated and rush this Motion. I urge this House that the only way we can deal with this Executive is to deny them opportunity to extend time to debate the County Governments Bill and have the President assent to this Bill tomorrow. In fact, the Attorney-General should advise the President to assent to this Bill tomorrow. There is nothing he is waiting for with regard to that Bill. The way it was passed is the way we intended it and he cannot force us to think the way he is thinking. This is a House of 222 Members and he is just one. So, he should respect the 221 Members who passed that Bill the way it was. Therefore, I strongly, oppose and beg to whip my other colleagues who have not seen the light to support my cause so that we deny the Government opportunity to extend time for both Bills using one Motion."
}