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{
    "id": 404386,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/404386/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 230,
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    "content": "In fact, if the Governors were well advised, they would realize that the burden which they are carrying is going to be divided amongst all of us. If there will be no development, the Governor alone will not be condemned. As my colleague rightly said, the Governor in the Constitution does not have any responsibility except execution of what has been passed by the county assembly. That is why this responsibility is not to the county assembly but the so-called “cabinet,” which also does not appear anywhere in our Constitution. I think that we need to start being very open and frank. Let us correct our people before they make a big mistake. This is because there is no provision in our Constitution for a county government to have a minister. It is the county executive committee which now advises the Government and does the job of implementation of whatever has been passed by the county governments. Madam Temporary Speaker, therefore, I am appealing to my colleagues here that when we have a very serious matter like this one, we have to watch our words, because the Governor is elected, just as we are elected. I cannot claim to be more popular in Laikipia than the Governor and he cannot as well claim to be more popular than me. This is because we were elected by the same people, with the hope that we were going to join together and give them services. They are not interested in anything else other than services. In fact, people in some counties have started wondering why they elected some leaders. This is because during the elections, some people did not understand the roles of a Governor, a Senator and even a Member of Parliament. We have been working in darkness. Madam Temporary Speaker, there are those who claim to be good lawyers. Let us tell them today that none of us is an expert of the current Constitution. Sometimes I get disturbed when lawyers behave as if they are in court. This is a political document which has nothing to do with lawyers. If you are charged with the responsibility of determining what the Constitution says, you can only do that if you look at the drafters and try to determine where their thinking was directed. It is not what the lawyer would have wanted it to be. I would like to appeal to all my colleagues to be responsible. Let us not insinuate that some Governors are not important. They are all Governors and are here to stay with us. No one is going to remove them. But I also appeal to them to look at this issue seriously and critically, and determine whether it is for the benefit of the Senator, Governor or MCAs. It is for the benefit of the entire county, because that is what the county wants. The county needs services no matter what we say here. Madam Temporary Speaker, the only thing that I have not made a clear decision on is whether the Senator should play the role of the chairman and the Governor the role of the secretary. I think that this point needs to be explained because Kenyans have got a chronic disease of wanting to become bosses. If I become chairman, immediately the Governor or someone else will think that I am the boss. But somebody must sit on that seat, whether it is the Governor or Senator, because that is what we are charged to do by the people of Kenya. Madam Temporary Speaker, let us also understand that this House is not final. The Governors have the right to contest this law in the High Court or Supreme Court. They can seek to know whether we are infringing on their rights. Therefore, let us try as much as possible to create a law that cannot be challenged, because the aim is to make 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"
}