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{
    "id": 520654,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/520654/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 288,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Ndiema",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1067,
        "legal_name": "Henry Tiole Ndiema",
        "slug": "henry-tiole-ndiema"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, I stand to support the Motion that seeks to form the commission that seeks to inquire into matters of Makueni. This is an issue that is very unfortunate for the people of Makueni and for the people of Kenya. We went for elections and elected leaders in all counties hoping that they will serve their full term. Unfortunately, it is disappointing that we now have the prospect of a county being dissolved. I am not saying that the commission will recommend so. The work of the commission is to recommend dissolution or otherwise. They need to have that in mind. Madam Temporary Speaker, the Constitution provides for only two situations where a county can be dissolved. The first one is emergency rising out of internal conflict or war. This case does not apply to Makueni. The second is in any other exceptional circumstance. Personally, I am not sure whether what has happened in Makueni could be categorized as a serious circumstance that warrants this kind of step. I say so because it would appear that the situation in Makueni has been brought about by adamancy; refusal by the leaders to work together to serve the people. It would appear here that this is dissolution of a county being sought through action of the same leaders who are in office. It is unsolicited and it is the leaders themselves who have decided. There are lingering questions in my mind that in the event of dissolution and in the event that the same leaders are elected back, how will they perform? Perhaps in future, it may be necessary that where dissolution arises out of omission or commission by the same people who are given responsibility, then when dissolution occurs and they are going to stand, all of them should be disqualified. This is the first case. We do not know how many other cases will arise due to the outcome of this process. Madam Temporary Speaker, elections are very expensive. An election in a county is going to use tax-payers’ money. Of course, funds will be required to fund the commission. This Senate has spent a lot of time and resources discussing the issue of Makueni. That time and money wasted should really be the responsibility of those who fail to work. They should not be rewarded with what they are soliciting. I am not sure that all other avenues which are economical were exhausted. We, as the Senate, represent counties and county governments. We are the defenders of counties. In all these processes, it would appear that the Senate was denied the opportunity to provide leadership and arbitration in this process. We, as defenders, must defend the people of Makueni as we are required by law to do in counties. When the law was drafted, that is, the County Governments Act, it should be amended to provide that all those avenues be exhausted. The Senate should have been given the opportunity, but what is happening is that whenever the Senate wants to come in, there is the option of 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."
}