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{
    "id": 439082,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/439082/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 310,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. G.G. Kariuki",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 330,
        "legal_name": "Godfrey Gitahi Kariuki",
        "slug": "gg-kariuki"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I hope I will be added some time because I was not given enough opportunity by the Mover of the Bill to explain or to express my concern about this matter. To some of us, this matter is so grave that it needs to be left to the people who are supposed to deal with it. There is no harm in waiting to get the county governments to address this House through the Clerk of the Senate to say what resolutions they have passed. In fact, Laikipia County has already done that. This needed to be done, because it will be very difficult for Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale or this Senate to understand the mind of Samburu County without understanding the politics in the county. This is a very highly political matter in some areas. There are some areas like Bungoma, for example, where there should be no interference because they have already agreed but there are some areas that they have not agreed and in fact, it was a contentious issue during the elections. There were questions raised like, where are you going after we have elected you? Where is our headquarters going to be? This is a very serious matter but it can be taken lightly because some of us feel that we are more superior than the county assemblies or the county governments. I agree and you do not even need to read the Constitution to say this. It is very clear that no law shall conflict with the Constitution; always the Constitution will be supreme and we all understand this. The purpose of being a Senator is to make sure that we send harmony from this House and not confusion to the people of Kenya. We should tell the people of Kenya that they have the authority and the freedom to decide and to determine where they want their areas to be. That way, we will appear very responsible. Nothing has stopped the county assemblies from doing their normal business because of this law. If the Mover would have agreed, I would have suggested that we suspend this Bill until we get the support of some kind or the wishes of the people who we are here for. We cannot therefore use our power and authority without consultation and do whatever we think is right for others. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I have put forward my case, and I hope the Senate will think twice and consider whether this matter is as simple as we think. In some areas like Machakos and Nyandarua, there are no issues but in Laikipia, there are issues just like many other places because they want to know where they will be headquartered. This matter will see some of the Governors out of their offices in the next elections. It would also be very good if a Senator loses 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."
}