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{
    "id": 385864,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/385864/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 134,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "May 8, 2013 SENATE DEBATES 16 Sen. Billow",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I think it is incumbent upon all of us to really respect one another in this House. I think it would be wrong for our colleagues from the minority party to continuously accuse our Members of bringing mischievous Motions. They complain of lack of decorum and when they get the opportunity, that is what they are exactly doing. We need to respect each other because we came here to represent our counties in contributing to the business of this House. I do not think anybody can represent Mandera County in this House. I have the right as a Senator of this House to stand up and contribute to any Motion. Mr. Speaker, Sir, with regard to this particular issue, the decision on whether one has to express an interest or not for a particular post, it will take place when that meeting of that Committee is actually convened by the Clerk of this House. Before that meeting is convened, you cannot say that you have an interest in that particular position. Therefore, it is wrong for the Leader of the Minority Party to stand up here and suggest that I indeed engineered this Motion. We have to be governed by the Standing Orders. The Senators from the CORD coalition who have contributed to this debate are learned friends; they are lawyers. I think it is important to appreciate the rules that govern this House. The rules are very clear with regard to replacement of a Senator. Standing Order No.178 that the Senate Minority Leader referred to is very clear on this issue. It reads:- “A Parliamentary party that nominated a Senator to a Select Committee may give notice in writing to the Chairperson of the Rules and Business Committee that the Senator is to be discharged from a Select Committee”. That means that it is a political party’s decision to replace its Senator from a particular Select Committee, reasons notwithstanding. So, I think it is frivolous, wrong and unacceptable for the CORD coalition Senators to stand here and argue that the Jubilee Coalition has no power to replace any of its Senators. It can replace me and any Senator for that matter. I think that decision has already been made. The Motion before this House is about the appointment of two Senators to two different committees. The Motion is to debate the appointment of Sen. Elachi and Sen. Bule to the respective committees that have been mentioned. Otherwise the removal of any Senator is not a matter that should be brought to the House for debate. As per the Standing Orders, that matter has been decided by a letter. I support the appointment of Sen. Elachi and Sen. Bule to the respective committees. I had been a Member of the Opposition as you all know and I have respect for the Senators on the minority side, but I think it is unacceptable to continuously accuse the Jubilee Coalition in the media, National Assembly and everywhere else of the tyranny of numbers. This is what is now being done in this House. At every opportunity, a Senator from the CORD Coalition wants to stand on a point of order to frustrate the business of this House. I do not think this is acceptable. We should have respect and decorum. I beg to support. Thank you."
}