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{
    "id": 437807,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/437807/?format=api",
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    "content": "of his loyalties politically or his persuasions in any other way. This applies to any Governor; whether he is from the CORD coalition or from the Jubilee Coalition. Once we set the standards, then we, as Senators, will make judgment upon these proceedings on the basis of the facts and the law. I want to appreciate the fact that we have now set a precedence and threshold on the issue of impeachment. I think we have already set the bar where it belongs. I want to repeat the fact that this particular competency and constitutional authority, having been placed in the Senate is for a very good reason. I hope that we, as Senators, will not abuse that responsibility but will do justice to every case that comes before us. Even if they come in their myriads, that will not be the point. At the end of the day, we will want to see justice in every case. If a Governor is brought before us on frivolous grounds, then the Committee will have the responsibility to throw out that case even before the Senate can sit. The only thing that I am worried about is the people’s sense of justice. If you look at the cases that are being talked about out there and the one that has appeared here before, it is about the use of resources. It is all about resources; how we are using public resources. You remember this fundamental principle of “no taxation without representation”. The people are concerned about the manner in which we use their resources. In law, there is also a question of symmetry and fairness globally. We cannot sit here and begin to take cases in relation to governors. Regardless of whatever we are trying governors for, there must be a sense of symmetry, a sense of fairness that is universal so that the people in the country will know that the institutions of Government including the National Assembly and the Senate are not particularly targeting governors. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to say this without fear of contradiction and I want to invite everybody to share this with me that when a national government is paying Kshs1.4 billion and that is not a matter for impeachment and a governor is using seeds worth Kshs3 million and he is impeached, people out there are beginning to ask if there is a sense of justice. Many people are asking why we are crucifying governors when the mess and the rot is more with the national Government. I am just saying that in order to allow us and enable us function well, the national Government should also lead by example. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}