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{
"id": 302613,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/302613/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Speaker",
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"content": "Hon. Members, as I proceed to make my remarks, allow me to restate the following: These are the basic steps that you will take to use the system. 1. Insert the card. 2. Put in the pin provided to you. It has four figures. 3. Press microphone button to accept the pin. 4. Press the microphone button once to request the hon. Speaker for the Floor. 5. If you wish to rise on a point of order or a point of information, press the intervention button marked INP. Your Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-In- Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, hon. Mwai Kibaki; your Lordship the Chief Justice, hon. Willy Mutunga; the Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly; your Excellencies, High Commissioners and Ambassadors; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour to welcome you to the inauguration of our refurbished debating chamber. On behalf of the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) and the House, I thank you, your Excellency, for accepting to grace this historic occasion. Today, we mark yet another indelible entry to the annals of Parliament in the Republic of Kenya. Hon. Members, I report authoritatively this afternoon that the chamber refurbishment that we embarked on in 2010 is fully completed to our satisfaction as prescribed and within the set budgetary constraints. Your Excellency, hon. Members; allow me to recoup the history of the refurbished chamber as is within my knowledge. The extension to the first building that was the Legislative Council Chamber commonly known as the “Old Chamber” became necessary because the Independence Constitution created a bicameral Parliament. Whereas the House of Representatives used the Old Chamber, the Senate used County Hall from the Nairobi City Council. Though so close by, it was felt that a Senate Chamber within Parliament Square would greatly enhance the serenity expected of the two chambers. Construction of the new Chamber to the South of the Old Chamber began in 1964 through the Harambee spirit. The building was designed by Architect Amias Connell and constructed by M/s Benson Brothers. The foundation stone was laid on 13th December, 1963 by His Royal Highness Prince Phillip and was completed and officially opened by the founding father of the nation, the late President, in Kenyan parlance, Hayati Mzee Jomo Kenyatta; on Tuesday, 2nd November, 1965. The opening ceremony was held in this same Chamber, which became the Chamber of the House of Representatives. Following the passage of a constitutional amendment on 21st December, 1966 to merge the two Houses, it became the National Assembly Chamber. Your Excellency, Sir, we note that you have lived all this history, having been in the House then as the Member for Donholm and later, Bahati Constituency. The project was funded by the Kenya National Fund, or the Harambee Fund, to which wananchi of all walks of life contributed, raising the equivalent of Kenya Pounds 100,000. Converted at the rate of Kshs20 per pound, it would be Kshs2 million. According to our computation today, it would be approximately Kshs2 billion. The renovation of the chamber has been in the plans of Parliament since 2004. The Third Parliamentary Service Commission, which I have had the privilege to chair, prioritised the refurbishment in its Strategic Plan, running over the period 2008-2018 and, after enlisting the support of hon. Members of the Tenth of Parliament, put on track actualisation of the dream of having a modern chamber. For this, I want to commend and thank all hon. Members. This spectacular infrastructure joins the list of many landmarks that have been made to happen in the recent past, under your Excellency’s very able stewardship. Looking around, you all no doubt see that this is an atmosphere to behold. The ambience is pleasantly amicable, if not enabling. It is obviously a very conducive environment to motivate the people’s representatives to discharge their onerous and yet admirable and respectable role in governance, bringing to the national table, legislation, representation and oversight. The completion of this Chamber comes with a great technological leap and presents a unique opportunity for this Parliament to reach out to the electorate faster and efficiently. It is noteworthy that the Chamber has in-built radio and TV broadcasting studios, first meeting live feed straight from here. We are on high speed Internet connection within the precincts of Parliament. Hon. Members can access high speed Internet connection on their laptops, iPads or any other device with suitable capacity configuration. Hon. Members, this Chamber can accommodate 352 Members seated. The digital congress system provides for public address, an electronic voting component and log-in that is useful for collecting statistical data such as Members’ attendance. Hereafter, you may envision the Speaker controlling debate and voting by Members at the click of a button. It is significant to mention that the seats fitted in the Chamber have been made by our own Prisons Industries at half the cost of the commercial rates we would have had to pay for the seats. Allow me at this point to acknowledge and appreciate the presence of the Commissioner of Prisons, Mr. Isaiah Osugo. Hon. Members, so that you know the budgeted estimates as per the Bills of Quantities, the price of the seats was Kshs167 million. The Prisons Industries have been able to fabricate and deliver these seats at a cost of Kshs77 million, therefore, saving 54 per cent of the total cost. We believe that this deliberate action has contributed to enhancement of the capacity of the Kenya Prison Industries and in affirming the faith of our leaders in locally made goods. Your Excellency, you have personally called on the Public Service to give priority to local entrepreneurs to supply locally manufactured furniture. Without doubt, I believe that to build Kenya, we have to buy Kenyan products and, at the same time, brand and sell Kenyan products overseas. I would like to thank our Government for availing the requisite financial resources and technical support, through the Ministry of Public Works; that have ensured successful completion of this project. I wish to convey my gratitude to the PSC commissioners, who spearheaded this project; all Members of the Tenth Parliament, who supported our effort; our staff led by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Patrick Gichohi, for co-ordinating the implementation process; and the consultants, the contractor and sub-contractors for a job-well-done."
}