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{
    "id": 497638,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/497638/?format=api",
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    "content": "We must not lose sight of Standing Order No.199 that says very clearly that:- “A Senator may attend and participate in a meeting of any Select Committee of the Senate of which he or she is not a Member.” There is nothing to stop, therefore, Sen. Orengo or Sen. Kagwe, from attending a meeting of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights which has been specifically been called to discuss matters that are pending in our courts. There is nothing to stop us from doing so. Further, I am of the view that this is not a time to call for further committees. This is the time to have a select group within the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights; two or three Members, who can deal with this issue because this is a matter that we should look at with a lot of gravity. However, as I speak, when we form another committee when even raising quorum within the existing committee, is a problem. What will happen is that this Committee will be called a couple of days within the next two months and the most likely scenario is that we will have quorum issues. My proposal on this matter, therefore, would be that we discussed this matter in Mombasa in the leadership forum. We talked about getting the advisory opinion that Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. referred to. However, we do not need a committee to put together an advisory opinion. What we need is lawyers hired by this House, who will execute that responsibility with a matter of urgency. The one thing that we know committees do not do is act with urgency. My view is that this is not a matter for a committee, notwithstanding the greatest respect, experience and ability of the Members on the list. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have not exhausted matters to do with secondment of lawyers by the Attorney-General. The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights called the Attorney-General in this House and we were of the view that they can do a lot more than they are doing. We know that the leadership of the House has engaged the Supreme Court on the matters we are talking about. With all due respect, the challenge here is not to form more committees, but implementation and leadership. We should give this matter to two or three people who will lead the process and work with lawyers hired by the House and implement what we are talking about. I respect Members who are on this list. However, with all seriousness, unless we are saying that there is no other committee to deal with this issue, I do not understand how we can come up with a list similar to the one that exists and pretend that it is a new committee. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to request my colleagues to drop this committee. At the same time, I ask the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights to form a sub-committee composed of Sen. Wako, Sen. Wetangula, Sen. Murungu, Sen. Dullo, Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. and Sen. Sang who, in any event, are already part of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights. With those few remarks, I oppose the formation of this Committee. 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."
}