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{
    "id": 438217,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/438217/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 219,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to, first of, all congratulate the Committee Members for doing a very good job. I have been in their situation before and it is not an easy job. The weight that was on their shoulders was not an easy one and they have performed their task professionally and to the requirements of the law. The decision of this Senate this afternoon is a victory for Governor Chepkwony but for us, it is a victory of the law. It shows that our institutions are working. We have been accused out there of being in the business of balancing and that we are baying for the blood of county Governors. Nothing is further from the truth. We are not in the business of Ocampo of balancing both sides. We just look at the law. It must go on record that three decisions on impeachment of county officials have come to this House; two in the case of the Deputy Governor of Embu and the Governor of Kericho have been dismissed because they have not been substantiated and one in the case of the Governor of Embu has been substantiated. So, this argument that the Senate has not been fair is not true because our fairness is looking at the law. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we understand the decision of the Committee. I have read through this Report and what I get is not a situation where we are saying the MCAs of Kericho County are wrong. It is about a new jurisprudence of this House. The first part of our jurisprudence was that in the case of the Deputy Governor of Embu, it was not substantiated. In the case of the Governor of Embu, it was substantiated. In the case of the Governor of Kericho, the allegations were not substantiated as a result of not meeting the threshold. So, you can look at the three cases and realize that our jurisprudence has grown from a case of no substantiation, where it was substantiated and where it was not substantiated because of the threshold. So, looking at the Report, you will realize that you cannot fault the County Assembly because in their wisdom and knowledge, they read the law as it is and found that there was violation of the law, but they also went ahead and said that the threshold was not achieved. In that regard, therefore, it is wrong for us who are going to be quoted to have said that the county assemblies have run rogue. I have heard my colleague – and with due respect to the Senator for Kitui, Sen. Musila – trying to say that “Oh, the Members of County Assembly (MCAs) should go back to business;” that is their business! Their business is oversight of the county executive so that they can perform. That exercise is supposed to be done meticulously, with passion and commitment, because the end objective is to ensure that the Governor performs well; and to ensure that the County Executive Committee (CEC) members perform well. So, we cannot fault our colleagues, because the MCAs are our colleagues. They are doing oversight work, they are doing legislative work; it is because of that hard work that this report was written and it is saying that certain The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}