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{
"id": 515029,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/515029/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Orengo",
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"id": 129,
"legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
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"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, whenever you leave your Chambers to come to this august Chamber, there is always a retinue and an announcement; “Mr. Speaker”. With the fact that I have been in this Parliament for decades, once I hear that call, I flee into the next room in the corridor to make sure that your retinue moves to the Chamber undisturbed. I am one of the few people you have sent away from this Chamber. When you said “Sen. Orengo, leave the Chamber”, I had no alternative but to leave. In some instances, normally, I am very hard headed. Even in a police station to be told to match out, they do it with a lot of difficulty. But when I receive your matching orders, I have no alternative. When somebody now gives you a directive and you obey that directive, the next time you order me to leave the House, I will not leave the House. I can assure you. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we should not try to bend any rules; whatever the circumstances. History will absolve you from whatever you may be blamed for, but never bend the rules. The Standing Orders, both of the Senate and the National Assembly, state very clearly what should happen to a Bill once it is published. That is not a matte which anybody can be lectured about. I would urge you, now more than ever before, and since you are the one who led us in the march to the Supreme Court and sat there and the Supreme Court gave an advisory opinion on what should happen when a Bill is published and what type of consultations and concurrence should be made, on this issue, you owe it to Kenya and to the future generations, that the law must be obeyed and particularly the Constitution. I agree with Sen. Billow because I went on a tour to France with the Committee on Implementation and they told us that when it comes to Bills which are complicated; with a lot of details that need proper scrutiny, even the Government of France would rather take that Bill to the Senate as a first reference point. Even if it goes to the National Assembly, they will make sure - even in circumstances it does not need to go there – they will make sure that it goes to the Senate. This is not for nothing. I would urge you as our leader in so far as this Parliament is concerned, that you stick there, you do not try to bend the rules and let nobody shake you because you are our Speaker. If anybody threatens you, that is a threat not only to you but to us, as Members of this Senate. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I think together on this, there is no Jubilee or CORD; we will unite together to make sure that we perform our constitutional duties without fear or favour. I hope that in taking this stand, in those directives that are being given, in the long run, you will be guiding your brother in the National Assembly to follow the law. So, it is your duty as a senior Member of Parliament; in fact, when I look at the number of years you have been in this House, the leadership in the Senate is senior to the leadership in the National Assembly. We will turn to you, being the senior parliamentarian. Thank you."
}