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{
    "id": 388721,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/388721/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 85,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Murungi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 93,
        "legal_name": "Kiraitu Murungi",
        "slug": "kiraitu-murungi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I am rising on a point of order following the guidance from the Chair which was sought by Sen. James Orengo. The Senator said that it was necessary for you, as the Speaker, to set a precedent in this House by giving reasons as to what would make you consider a matter to be urgent and exceptional and, therefore, under what you could allow a Motion like the one we are just about to debate. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there is absolutely no requirement in the Standing Orders for such a request to be made for the Speaker to be required to give reasons as to how he decided that a matter is urgent and exceptional. The second part of the Standing Order (29)(2) says as follows:- “---or other urgent and exceptional business as the Speaker may allow.” So, really, this gives the Speaker unfettered discretion. It is for him, in his own wisdom and mind, to make an absolute determination as to whether a matter is urgent and exceptional. In this case, you have already made that decision. That is why we were recalled and we came. Some of us have come from far away because of the decision that you made. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Senator was completely out of order to come to request the Speaker to give reasons. This is not a court of law. This is a matter that is entirely in your discretion and you could have told the Senate Majority Leader “This matter is not urgent or exceptional and, therefore, in my discretion, I am not going to summon a special session of the Senate.” Or if, as Sen. Orengo said, you could be asked because some cattle rustling has taken place, that we should be called, then in that occasion you could still exercise your discretion if you thought the matter of the cattle rustling was urgent and exceptional and called us. Or if you thought it was not, then you could say no, because it is really in your absolute discretion to do so. So, Mr. Speaker, Sir, in my humble opinion, this is a matter that you do not even need to respond to. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}