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{
    "id": 530352,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/530352/?format=api",
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    "content": "Madam Temporary Chairperson, the Senate Majority Leader tabled the National Honours Regulations, 2013 on 20th November, 2013 and yesterday, through the debates, a number of issues were raised by hon. Senators, which have led to improvements and amendments to these Regulations. The Order Paper that has been circulated has some of the amendments that are suggested in Regulations 2 to 29. Some of the things that have been introduced include the marginal notes, which is good for the understanding of the Regulations. Under Regulation 3, we also propose to reorganize the various categories of national honours and not to create new categories. We just want to reorganize them in a better way because the initial regulations were a bit cumbersome and scattered. But the same categories that were proposed are the same categories that are retained under Regulation 3. Madam Temporary Chairperson, under Regulation 4, it is also proposed to expand the ways and means by which one is conferred national honours by providing for certain general categories, especially under (c) and (d) of Regulation 4 where, for example, a State or Public officer who has made an exemplary contribution to the betterment of the national or county government as Executive, Judiciary, Legislature, independent Commission or independent office can be one of the categories of persons on whom national honours may be conferred upon and also generally any person who has otherwise brought honour, glory or pride to the Republic. So, this now applies to any person who can be a farmer, police officer, nurse or even a house wife; whose conduct, achievement and contribution has significantly impacted on the nation. I can see some of my colleagues, when I said house wife, looking at me suspiciously. I want to add that this can be a house wife or even a house husband – like Dr. Timothy Njoya, who likes calling himself a house husband – for purposes of being gender sensitive. Madam Temporary Chairperson, those are some of the issues that have been raised through the proposed amendments. Other than that, there is Regulation 10 on the sitting arrangements, which has caused us a lot of problems since the last general elections. We have so many leaders now, and now that we are creating, reorganizing and recognizing heroes through a law and through regulations, we want to transfer that honour into the way we treat heroes and the people who carry national honours when they attend public functions. It does not help to call or to confer somebody with the Moran of the Golden Heart (MGH) or Distinguished Service Medal (DSM), but when they attend a public function, whether at the national or county forum, that recognition is not appreciated. It defeats the whole purpose of conferring national honours. Madam Temporary Chairperson, there is also a suggestion recommended there under Regulation 14 on how one may lose national honours. Regulation 14 is providing for the reporting of the loss of national honours to the Advisory Committee. The loss of national honour shall be reported to the respective nominating Advisory Committee. If it is a member of the Legislature who has lost a national honour under the grounds which 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."
}