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{
    "id": 534597,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/534597/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 138,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sang",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 907,
        "legal_name": "Stephen Kipyego Sang",
        "slug": "stephen-kipyego-sang"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, yesterday Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale sought a Statement from the Chairman of the Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee regarding the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Prof. Jane Onsongo as a Commissioner of the EACC. From the outset, I sought the indulgence of the Chair that I respond to this Statement after recess. You indicated that because of the urgency of the matter, I needed to give some progress report and that is what I am going to do. That progress report will address around two of the issues that were sought by the Senator and then the others will be addressed in the comprehensive Statement that I will deliver. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Committee forwarded this Statement to the Attorney-General, today being a Thursday and the Cabinet having a meeting, the Attorney-General has not yet responded to us on this issue. But we, as a Committee, decided that we were going to seek some clarification on the issues from the Commission itself. The report will address two of the critical areas that were the focus of the Statement. One is on the issue of the reasons behind the resignation of Prof. Onsongo. The Committee has not been able to receive any information to that effect yet because they information in the public domain is only the television footage that was carried by media houses when the said Commissioner appeared to be passing the message that she had resigned. From the Commission perspective, the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson and the Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Jane Onsongo is on leave. The Commissioner applied for a 30 day leave, the Chairperson of the Commission did approve and that is the document that we have before us. As per the Commission, Prof. Jane Onsongo is on leave. Any other information is only left to the media and we will get further clarification from the Attorney-General. It is important to note that the appointing authority for the Chairperson and the commissioners is the President. Therefore, if a commissioner wants to resign, then she forwards the same to the President. As at now, we cannot confirm whether the President has received her resignation or not. Ttherefore, we, as a Committee, are not able to give a conclusive answer. As I said, according to the EACC, she is on leave. This is the official Statement. I cannot engage in rumours. Secondly, to explain the work dynamics in the EACC and specifically the working relationship between the commissioners and the Secretariat headed by the CEO. It appeared to us when we interviewed the Chairman and the Vice Chairperson of the EACC and when we later interviewed the CEO that there is a clear disconnect in terms of the working relationship between the EACC, the commissioners and the Secretariat. The commissioners seem to believe that the Secretariat is working under the instructions of officers outside. The EACC cited some public officers working within the Office of the President and the State Law office as being the individuals directing the work of the Secretariat. That was disputed by the CEO of the EACC who thought that the 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."
}