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{
    "id": 518901,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/518901/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 46,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Baiya",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 8,
        "legal_name": "Peter Njoroge Baiya",
        "slug": "peter-baiya"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Speaker. As you give direction on this matter as sought by the Leader of the Majority Party, I would urge you to also look into the aspect of the Members’ conduct in the debate. The rules of debate are very clear. To accuse a Member of corruption is to say that, that person should be prosecuted and, if evidence is found, put to jail. It is as plain as that. On the other hand, the rules of debate are very clear. A member is responsible for the correctness of the statement he makes, whether in the House or in a committee. The same Standing Orders say that if an allegation is made touching on the conduct of a Member, particularly implying criminal conduct before the business of either the House or the Committee is proceeded with, that issue should be ventilated. If the statement is unwarranted, that Member should withdraw and apologise. So, those rules are very clear. If they were to be followed, the beginning point would be the Members who made allegations of corruption against another Member. They are the sources of those allegations. They ought to be followed to verify whatever evidence they have of corruption. If there is any truthfulness in those allegations then action should be taken on the corrupt Member. However, if no investigations are done and the Members persist in making those allegations and they are picked by Kenyans who do not even have the least opportunity to verify the veracity of those allegations then the problems become one of Members engaging in talks that damage themselves and the House. The perception to Kenyans is that the perception you are creating is real. So, the House, both in the Chamber and in Committees, has to appreciate that the time we have we should uphold the rules of debate and in the course of debate we should uphold the dignity of the House and if any incident of corruption is detected, prompt investigations should be carried out and whoever is found to be corrupt should face the consequence and then the House goes on. I beg to rest my case there."
}