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{
    "id": 392380,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/392380/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 202,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wako",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 366,
        "legal_name": "Amos Sitswila Wako",
        "slug": "amos-wako"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I will be very brief. I will support you that the fault is not in the Constitution at all. The fault is in us. Apart from what has been stated before, we have the power that was bestowed upon us under the Constitution. If a Minister does not respond to our requests, which are made with utmost courtesy and respect, we have the powers to summon that Minister. If those summons are not honoured, we can ask, through the Attorney-General that he or she be arrested and be charged for refusing to honour summons. Either House of Parliament under Section 125 of the Constitution has the same powers as the High Court of this country: Powers to enforce the attendance of witnesses and examine them on oath of affirmation or otherwise; powers to compel the production of documents and powers to issue, commission or request to examine witnesses abroad. We all know that if the High Court has summoned you to attend and you do not attend, it is an offence and there are consequences for that. So, we have the powers but we have not exercised the powers which are bestowed upon Parliament and upon the Committees of Parliament. Even under our own Standing Orders, we have the powers. The powers are there under Standing Order No.193. It states:- “The Committees shall enjoy and exercise all the powers and privileges bestowed upon Parliament by the Constitution and Statute, including the power to summon witnesses; receive evidence and request for and receive papers and documents from the Government and the public”. So, we have the powers and I think it is now up to us to use them. They are powers we have rarely exercised because I think we have believed in an amicable 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."
}