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{
    "id": 498859,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/498859/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 144,
    "type": "other",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "We will fight together and going forward, the Supreme Court option remains, to me, a very viable option. In the meantime, we are trying a lot of diplomatic work informally and, increasingly, formally. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, a question has been asked on whether we are aware that there are other Bills that have either been passed or are in the pipeline of being passed into law without recourse to the Senate. I have obtained, through the Clerk’s Office – I am sure this information has also been provided to the Rules and Business Committee – an updated template, a table that tabulates all the Bills since the Senate came into operation on 28th March 2013 until now, all the Bills that have been passed illegally – without this Senate being involved – including the action that has been taken or not taken in each of those Bills. The purpose of that tabulation - which I am studying and it is right at my desk - is to take the route which has been recommended by some of my colleagues who spoke so that we look at this thing in a wholesale manner. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are three categories of Bills which have been passed in this illegal manner. The first is where concurrence was sought, let us say, from the Senate but has not been given. The law is not clear on what happens if the concurrence is not given unless you automatically invoke the provisions of the mediation process. In which case, refusal to give feedback should be construed to mean you have not concurred. We know there is inaction. For some of the Bills, no concurrence has come from one of the Speakers. In others, the Speaker of the National Assembly has refused to concur that some of these Bills concern counties, in that case, a dispute arises in accordance with Article 112 of the Constitution and therefore, mediation should be happening. As to why no mediation has started in some of these Bills where an outright refusal to concur has taken place, I do not know. I have those categories and then also there are few Bills where the two Speakers have concurred. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, thirdly, as I wind up, I think we are placing the blame on the doorstep of the wrong person. Number one, this thing has nothing to do with the President. Legislation has nothing to do with the President. The President gets involved at the tail end of the process in assenting. Some of my colleagues have asked me about body language and stuff. I just want to say that the President remains committed to the rule of law and he respects the Constitution. Recently---"
}