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{
    "id": 281558,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/281558/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 424,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Prof. Muigai",
    "speaker_title": "The Attorney-General",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 408,
        "legal_name": "Githu Muigai",
        "slug": "githu-muigai"
    },
    "content": " Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I rise to support this Motion. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, this House has a collective constitutional responsibility. We must always find a way to work in a bipartisan manner in the national interest. The reason as to why these Bills have not been enacted into law is because there have been legitimate issues relating to the constitutionality, legality and propriety of these Bills. Hon. Mbadi suggested in his contribution that His Excellency the President may have, in exercising his veto powers under the Constitution, acted to intimate or blackmail the House. I think that submission is regrettable. The authority of the President to veto legislation is part of our constitutional law, which was exercised by the President as part of his constitutional responsibility. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, this House is the final arbiter of what becomes law and what does not become law. Whatever proposals His Excellency the President has made can be overridden by a majoritarian vote of this House. The energies that are now being directed at defeating this Motion should be energies directed towards finding the reasons as to why, in the substantive issues before the House, there is an error. Devolution is a key part of the Constitution. Indeed, it is estimated that one-third of our Constitution relates to the devolution of power to the counties. The two Bills before the House are a major part of the realisation of that constitutional promise the Kenyan people expected. The Kenyan people deserve it and this House must deliver these Bills to the Kenyan people. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, it was suggested by an hon. Member that we should wait for the Hon. Chief Justice to provide direction to this House on how, when and in what manner we should pass these Bills. It will be a very sad day if this House ever abdicated its constitutional responsibility to any other body or authority, even such an eminent body as the Judiciary of the Republic of Kenya. We must take our responsibility seriously, and that responsibility is to debate and interrogate these Bills and ultimately give the Kenyan people the law that they deserve. In conclusion, the Tenth Parliament has a good record, having delivered constitutional implementation Bills on time last August, on the 26th. The Tenth Parliament has delivered a large number of the Bills required to-date. We now have these two Bills, and we need a little bit more time. We should allocate ourselves that time. It is our historical responsibility to do so. History will judge us very harshly if we do not do what our constitutional responsibility is. With those remarks, I beg to support the Motion."
}