HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 469986,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/469986/?format=api",
"text_counter": 61,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, the second rationale relates to the formation of the Committees of this House. The names of Senators to various Committees were approved by this House on 25th March, 2013. The Standing Orders require that within seven days upon that approval, that elections for chairpersons should be held. Therefore, it has been noted that the seventh day elapses on Thursday. After consultations between the majority and minority leadership, the whips, the Speaker’s office and also upon deliberations in the Rules and Business Committee, it is not possible that the elections of various chairpersons and various committees can be conducted on Thursday morning alone because of certain requirements. For example, I suppose the Clerk is the returning officer in that process. So, we feel that, hoping that no serious emergency arises, we are able to beat the deadline by having these elections on Thursday which is the last day. Of course, the Standing Orders do allow for a bit of extension of time but it is not desirable that we extend the elections further because the second reason why we should do the elections on Thursday is because the business of this House is linked to the Committees. There is a symbiotic connection between the work of the Committees and the business of this House. So, if this House is to conduct business, then the Committees must be in place urgently so that the business that comes to this House can be referred to those Committees and even those Committees can suggest and create business for the House especially considering that many people in this country are yet to appreciate, recognize and quantify the role of this House which is enormous and extremely heavy. Many people think that this is a House of rest or a House of holiday. Therefore, we must move fast to demystify the Senate. Mr. Speaker, Sir, finally, we have very urgent pending issues, especially around devolution. I want to state clearly that, for example, the Committee work around areas like devolution should help steer the country in the right direction, because we are not doing well there. I think that in consultation with the Transition Authority and other constitutional organs, if these Committees are in place urgently, we can, as the Senate, begin playing our role of steering the devolution process and also exercising our constitutional mandate. Therefore, for those reasons, it is proposed that we eulogize our colleague and then, perhaps visit the family. Then on Thursday, from morning to evening, elections of chairpersons to committees should be conducted and concluded, so that from Tuesday 7th May, 2013, at 2.30 p.m., this Senate can meet and begin discharging its mandate as expected. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to send my deepest condolences and sympathies to the people who were close to Sen. Mutula Kilonzo, especially the family, his constituents, the County of Makueni, legal fraternity and the country as a whole. At the same time, I want to take this opportunity to wish the various candidates for elections in the various Committees the best of luck on Thursday. Mr. Speaker, Sir, with those remarks, I beg to move and request Sen. Wetangula, the Senate Minority Leader, to second."
}