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{
    "id": 492022,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/492022/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 310,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Nabwala",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13116,
        "legal_name": "Catherine Mukiite Nabwala",
        "slug": "catherine-mukiite-nabwala"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I am equally concerned about what is happening in Isiolo, Makueni and many counties. I think there is something terribly wrong. It appears as if someone is encroaching on the mandate of the Senate which is well defined as per the Constitution. You will find that when we pass Motions in this House, they are not taken seriously. Why does this happen? First, we had the Wambora case. Wambora was impeached based on the Motion which was started by the county assembly. He went to court and the court listened to him without summoning the Senate to appear before it to justify our position. The Senate is an independent body. We do not work in cahoots with the courts. I am wondering about what is happening. Who is giving these courts the strength to interfere with the legislative arm of the Government? This is, indeed, very serious. The Isiolo County Assembly went to the Meru High Court for the first time and their case was thrown out. They then went to another court in Nyeri and again the case was thrown out. So, when we say that we are retreating to find a way of how to handle the problems in the two counties, where should be our first stop? It appears as if the courts have taken sides and are supporting the speakers. When we go to the counties; what are we supposed to do first? Should we first pay a courtesy call to the judges in Meru and Nyeri so that they justify their decisions or do we go to the counties? If we go to the counties and find that the speaker has already been cleared by the court, what will we do? This is a very big challenge to devolution. Devolution is under threat. Unless we stand firm and take the bull by the horn, we will be headed nowhere. That is my worry. We still have three-and-a-half years to go. We should come out very clearly and spell out our mandate so that the courts or whoever is handling matters devolution knows that Senators are legislators and that our additional mandate of oversight is given to us as an additional function. Under Article 96, our responsibility is to protect the interests of counties and their governments. The interests of counties include the county assemblies and county executive. The county assemblies are crying out to us and yet we do not have timelines"
}