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{
    "id": 502278,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/502278/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 110,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "content": "provoke us into more and more actions. In fact, the sad situation here is that they proceed to relegate us into a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) and not a legislature duly enshrined under our Constitution. Why do I say so? I say so because of this unethical practice of plagiarism. We know that my neighbour’s Bill – the National Flag, Emblems and Names (Amendment) Bill - was the first one to be enacted by the Senate. In accordance with the law, we took it to the National Assembly for them to debate. They should have debated it and brought it back to us with or without amendments. But what did they do? They removed all our names, put their names, debated and sent it for assent. That is highly unethical behaviour and provocative. Maybe we did not react to it the way that we should have and they are now encouraged to continue in such unethical behaviours, as relates to the other Bill. That is why this action becomes necessary and I am also calling for the fact that the Government, particularly the President, should save us from all these things, if I may say so. I am glad that the other day he told the National Assembly, in no uncertain terms, that the Standing Orders that they had amended to allow the Cabinet Secretaries to go before the Committee of the Whole House were wrong. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you may recall that we discussed this issue; whether or not to follow the precedent of the National Assembly. We advised that it will be unconstitutional. I am glad that you accepted our advice and kept quiet. We are now calling upon the President to save us from all this shadow boxing by ensuring that the correct procedures are followed. When I was the Attorney-General the President would never sign a Bill unless he had a certificate duly signed by me that it was in order and he should sign it. Under our circumstances now, the President should not sign a Bill unless there is a certification from the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Speaker of the Senate, that this Bill has followed the due process; and the Attorney General has confirmed that, that is so. Mr. Speaker, Sir, if he now began adhering to that very strictly, then at least it will bring home to the National Assembly and others that whatever they do may not be assented to, unless we are somehow involved. Just as the Bill starts with the two Speakers deciding whether it is a Bill concerning counties, the whole process also ends with the two Speakers concurring and giving certification that the procedure has been followed, therefore, the President should only sign at that time. I am saying this because advisory opinions may be ignored by the very same people, if the same culture will go on. We may go to the court and declare something ultra vires to the Constitution, but what is the use? It will be a waste of time. What it means is that whenever a Bill is passed by the National Assembly and the Senate, if we feel that it concerns a county, then we shall also now begin originating an amendment Bills, amending that Bill to take into account the concerns of the counties. We will go through the whole process again and since we are law-abiding, send it to the National Assembly. The same thing happens and mediation teams are called and so on. That is really wastage of our time in legislating. If the President had just asked:- “Has the Senate discussed this matter? Where is the certification from the Speaker of the Senate? I am not signing.” 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."
}