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{
    "id": 423645,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/423645/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 62,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": "On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I am sorry I have to raise this issue severally. You were invited by the Senate Majority Leader to make a ruling or to interpret between the oversight role of this House and the county assemblies. If you all remember, there was a paper prepared by the Chair of the same Committee which is very informative. I am reading Article 226(2) of the Constitution which says:- “The accounting officer of a national public entity is accountable to the National Assembly for its financial management and the accounting officer of a county public entity is accountable to the county assembly for its financial management.” In Article 226(2), my reading would be that in the principle of the Committee which is the core working point in the Senate and the good relations between this House and the county assemblies, we will continue allowing county assemblies to invite accounting officers who are Chief Officers or County Executive Officers, in most cases, in the counties for accountability to the various departments of the Ministry. However, I will take advantage of Article 96 of the Constitution which says that this House oversights the whole county. As such, that is why, in my understanding, we cannot invite a County Executive Member or a Chief Officer if we want to avoid conflict with the county assemblies. We will invite the county assemblies to invite them. However, in the overall oversight of the whole county, we will invite the Governor as the Chief Executive of the County to come and shed light on the rest of the issues. So, my reading of 226(2) is that. That does not, however, take away the power of the Senate to summon anyone under Article 125, if need be. In terms of maintaining the relationship between the county assemblies, the Senate and the National Assembly, it is important that we allow them, under Article 226 to continue ventilating the issues of the Chief Officer. This House should not reduce itself by taking up its power to invite the Chief Executive Officer and County Executive Officers. We will leave that to the domain of the county assemblies under Article 96 and invite the Chief Executive Officer as defined by the Constitution in Article 175 to shed light on the overall issues. I know that you will spend time to give a more detailed communication including looking at the paper that was done by the Chair of that Committee which is indicative of the relevant sections."
}