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{
    "id": 377348,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/377348/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 42,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ng’ongo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2884,
        "legal_name": "Alice Wambui Ng'ang'a",
        "slug": "alice-wambui-nganga"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Speaker, Sir, I think the issue of the roles of the National Assembly and the Senate has been debated publicly for quite some time. As hon. Ababu puts it, this should not be seen – what he has raised – as trying to undermine the Senate, but as trying to put into perspective the role of each House. Sometimes I ask myself: When Kenyans passed this Constitution, was it their intention to create two Houses to do the same job? I do not think the people of Kenya would have done that, that is created two Houses one with 349 Members and another with 67 Members, for them to do the same job. I do not think the people of Kenya could be that careless. So, these two Houses have distinct roles to play. It is important that this is understood. If you look at the functions that have been spelt out in the Fourth Schedule, you will see where the international relations fall. The role of international relations is national Government function and it has nothing to do with counties. Secondly, you realize that as opposed to Members of Parliament who have a single vote in the sense that Mbadi has a vote as hon. Mbadi, the Senate does not have individual votes. What they carry are county votes. They are delegations from the counties. So, when you appoint one Senator, say, Murkomen from Elgeyo Markwet and he goes to represent this country out there, you are giving that county undue advantage over Homabay County. So, it is not right to have Senator from one county because whatever transaction they do, they do it on behalf of their counties. Initially, I thought a referendum is not a good idea. However, right now I am beginning to realize that probably we need this referendum so that Kenyans define the roles of Senators and that of the National Assembly once and for all. When we try to tell them to restrict themselves to protecting counties and legislating for counties--- Right now their counties have a lot of problems one of them being not knowing what functions they are supposed to carry out in terms of, say, roads and so on. They do not know which roads belong to the counties and which ones belong to the national Government. We ought to see Senators initiate legislation directed at that and then passing it to us for reconciliation and then we come up with better legislation. They should avoid double legislation. Everything that the National Assembly touches, the Senate wants to touch. Would Kenyans be this careless to create two Houses to just duplicate roles? I do not think so. Even though, Mr. Speaker, you have made that statement, I think the Senate should not be represented in international matters. Let them restrict themselves to counties."
}