Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 405948,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/405948/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 51,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Assembly and 15 for the Senate. So, there is no mandatory requirement that you must have 349 Members. Therefore, committees which obviously generate a lot of the work which comes to the plenary must continue to work. I am alive to the fact that several committees are lined to have their meetings this morning, Thursday which is normally not a plenary sitting day. So, committees are allowed to continue with their work. I am sure there will be sufficient Members to debate the business that is on the Order Paper. The long and short of it is that, I am aware that the Budget and Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet; the Departmental Committee on Transport, Public Works and Housing is also scheduled to meet. I can see hon. Jamleck Kamau reminding me that even his Departmental Committee on Energy, Communication and Information is supposed to be sitting. Hon. Pukose says even the Departmental Committee on Health is also meeting. So, all committees that are scheduled to meet may proceed to do their business but I am sure we will still have sufficient Members to be here to debate. I have seen and witnessed in other jurisdictions a plenary sitting where only the Speaker is on the Chair and only one Member is contributing and it is still deemed to be proper because what the Member is contributing is on record. Any other Member wishing to come and either oppose or express himself will go to the record. Hon. Washiali, I think that is an important point that you have raised for even Kenyans to know in general the point which was raised here yesterday. On Thursday when you sit from 2.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m., it is only four hours. Even if we were to say no prayers so that we sit for exactly four hours, if every Member was to contribute within the allowed time of ten minutes, only 24 of us would sit. It would be grossly unfair to the country and the taxpayers to hold 349 Members here when we know that only 24 or 20 would contribute. Surely, in the wisdom of the House that is why committees have to continue sitting and Members do other business. Members are elected to represent, oversee and legislate and that is done in various other forms, most of which is in committee. This is general information for the public so that when they see three Members in the Chamber, they do not say there were no Members. Other Members are busy doing other things and Kenyans must know that. We still have not been able to cover live all our committee sittings so that people can know that if hon. Mbadi is not in the Chamber, then he is contributing to parliamentary work in committees. So, hon. Washiali, the committees may continue while at the same time the plenary will also continue."
}