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"id": 290070,
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"content": "Order, hon. Members! Member for Nyaribari Chache and Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Health, first, allow me to say that the Report is not yet before the House. It is just about to be before the House, but as things stand now, it is not yet before the House. Hon. Members, I have listened carefully to the arguments presented by the Member for Nyando and supplemented by the Member for Ikolomani who has spoken to integrity and possible alterations as alleged by the Member for Nyando. The Member for Kisumu Town West spoke to the same matters. The Member for Imenti Central argued that the Report is properly prepared, and the Member for Lari wondered whether the tabling of the Report will worsen the threat to the Member for Nyaribari Chache. Finally, the Member for Mutito argued that there is emerging a trend where objections to reports are raised before the reports are tabled. Some of these concerns and submissions I can deal with summarily, beginning with the one by the Member for Mutito. It is not true that a trend is emerging where objections are raised to reports before they are tabled. As a matter of fact, at all the periods I have presided, this is the first time that I have heard these objections. So, that is not accurate as far as I am concerned. The second one is by the Member for Lari, who is wondering whether or not the tabling of the Report may worsen the threat to the Member for Nyaribari Chache. I think as representatives of the people of Kenya, once you are elected as a Member of Parliament, you must be prepared to execute your mandate without fear or favour. So, whether or not there is a threat, you must carry on. You must soldier on. I want to tell the Member for Lari that I do not think that is a factor that this House will bear in mind. The threat came and we responded to it. I have tried what I can to ensure that the Member for Nyaribari Chache is protected, including taking additional measures as were necessary. At any rate, the Member for Nyaribari Chache is a Christian as far as I know; so am I and the majority of us in this House. Seek ye the truth and the truth shall set you free. You cannot die because you say the truth. It will acquit you at any rate. Member for Lari, I think that is dealt with. The Member for Central Imenti, in fact, I agree with your position. As far as I am concerned, yes, concerns were raised with my office by the Member for Nyando on Wednesday, 30th May, 2012 to the effect that the Committee’s minutes, and maybe resolutions, had, at some point, been altered. I did immediately take action by inviting the Director in charge of Committees, one of our Clerks, Mrs. Consolata Munga, to inquire into the matter and enable her to file a report with my Office at the earliest. This officer dutifully filed a report with my Office on Thursday afternoon. In the same afternoon, the Chairman the Departmental Committee on Health notified me that the final Report of the Committee was ready, and that he would want to table it. However, he drew my attention to their preparedness when I was already in the sitting that afternoon, and I told him that I would not permit the tabling of a Report before I have gone through the routine of looking at the Report and approving the Motion. Hon. Members, please, note that procedurally, I do not approve a Report rather I approve the tabling of a Report. In other words, I do not take responsibility for the contents of the Report, but I take responsibility for the constitutionality, legality and correct procedure adopted in preparing the Report. What I do approve and take responsibility for is the Motion. So, after I had looked at the Report, I satisfied myself that it was properly prepared and was in accordance with our Standing Orders. I found, for instance, that the Report in its preparation had complied with Standing Order No.179, which sets out the procedure on how Select Committees will conduct themselves in preparing a report. Among other things, I ascertained that that Report was signed by a majority of the Members of the Committee. The proviso to Standing Order No.179 says that where a vote on a question is not unanimous, or where adoption of a report is not unanimous, the names of the Members voting for and against the question or declining to vote respectively shall be recorded in the minutes. I ascertained from the Report, as presented to me, that there was no dissent. If there was dissent, then it was not recorded, but the majority had signed it. In those circumstances, as the Speaker, I am satisfied that this Report is properly prepared. I, therefore, direct that the Report be tabled."
}