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{
    "id": 303088,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/303088/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 426,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Mungatana",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 185,
        "legal_name": "Danson Buya Mungatana",
        "slug": "danson-mungatana"
    },
    "content": "This was not the idea of Parliament. This was a Government Bill and it was the Government that brought this Commission to existence. Sub-section (2) of the same section states that the Commission would have a preparatory period of three months during which it was supposed to undertake necessary tasks for it to undertake the duties. So, you count three months. Then they had the two years. Then they sought the first extension from Parliament for six months. Now, they are coming for three months. The Minister is telling us that he is going to bring another extension. It is like Parliament is being converted into a rubber stamp for the use and convenience of the Executive. Parliament is being requested to reward the inefficiencies of the Executive by giving them further authority to use the taxes of the people of this country for their convenience. In fact, the Minister is giving us a notice that he is coming again. This Parliament is not going to be used like that by the Executive. It is a very good idea that now we are going into a situation where Parliament is going to be completely separate from the Executive. I wanted to dare a Cabinet Minister to come and repeat those words that they are seeking an extension of six months, and we give it to them; they want three months, and they are coming for another period of extension. This is the Parliament of the Republic of Kenya. It is not a jokers’ house. This House should send a strong message to the Government and we should start with this Commission. We should tell them that we are not going to be the rubber stamp for the convenience of the Executive. We should oppose this extension. I want to stand here to strongly oppose the arguments that have been put here that the people of Kenya shall not have the benefit of the knowledge of what has been gathered up to now. That is not true. Under Article 35 of the Constitution, all Government information is supposed to be freely accessible to the public. Indeed, if this Commission is serious, without further utilization of the taxpayers’ money, they can simply go to the constitutional court after they have completed whatever they are doing now and get an order to say that they are publicizing the report under Article 35 of the Constitution. In fact, they do not even need to move to the constitutional court. On their own, they can print it in the media. They can go and release it in the internet, but for purposes of officialdom, they might wish to file that report in a manner that is complete and signed by all the Commission and then they have it formalized by a court order. This will be a very simple application as the Minister very well knows. You just go, seek an order and say that, “under Article 35 which gives us the right to release public information, we wish this official document to be made public”. That court application will cost us very little money if at all and that information will be public. Why are we spending more money? Is it not the same Government which says that it does not have enough money to spend? Is it not the same Government that says that it does not have enough money in the Development Vote? I strongly urge this Parliament that we must send the message to the Executive. Parliament has changed; it is not a rubber stamp and they must know that we are unwilling to spend money to support undisciplined actions by this Government. I strongly oppose this extension and the taking for granted of this Parliament."
}