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"id": 490856,
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"content": "Parliament is given a voice in determining or recommending the deserving Kenyans who deserve to be honoured. It is equally important that within the Parliament as an institution, that the Senate, being what it is, be given also an equal voice within that Committee. The Committee, as it is now constituted, although the Speaker of the Senate is a Member, the Speaker of the National Assembly is a Member, nearly all other Members are Members who come from the National Assembly. We have the Clerks of both the National Assembly and also the Senate being Members; the Vice Chairperson of the Parliamentary Service Commission and a Commissioner of the PSC. We know that the PSC is weighted against our representation. Now, the Leader of the Majority Party and the Leader of the Minority Party in the National Assembly are Members. I think logic demands that if the Leader of the Majority Party of the National Assembly is a Member, so should also our very hard working, indefatigable Senate Majority Leader. Also, if the Leader of the Minority Party of the National Assembly is a Member, it follows logically that the Senate Minority Leader should also be a Member. If the two become Members, then the composition of that particular Parliamentary Honours Advisory Committee will be balanced between the two Houses. I think that is the spirit in which we should have this membership. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you will recall that it is because the PSC is not as balanced as we want this one now to be that we, Senators, have had a difficult time in pursuing what we think are our legitimate interests through the PSC because we are a tiny minority there; the majority is the other House and, obviously, they consider their welfare more than ours. Therefore, for now, more than one-and-a-half years, in terms of remuneration, we continue to have the same salary, same everything as if we are equal. I know that you cover an area of many more Members of Parliament (MPs); is it six, seven or eight? I cover an area covered by seven Members of the National Assembly and so on, and so forth. Despite the logic and force of the argument in favor of the senators in terms of their welfare and remuneration, but in particular in terms of the operational expenses regarding offices in Nairobi and in the county, and so on---. In spite of all that force of logic, we have not managed to move very far. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is important that where we have a PSC, that the issues be balanced. It is the same thing when you talk about the Mediation Committee, where a Bill originates from one House it is refused in the other. A Mediation Committee is appointed. The Constitution says that it should have three Members from each House. That way, again that balance is maintained. Therefore, the purpose of this amendment, as simple as it is, is just to ensure that the membership of the Parliamentary Honours Advisory Committee is also balanced between the National Assembly and the Senate. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to move and I would ask Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, in the absence of my Vice Chairperson from the Committee, to second me on this one. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."
}