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{
    "id": 543405,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/543405/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 233,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Shebesh",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 377,
        "legal_name": "Rachel Wambui Shebesh",
        "slug": "rachel-shebesh"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Deputy Speaker. I want to speak briefly on the Report given to us by the Committee on Powers and Privileges. I want to start by saying that I support the work of the Committee and, therefore, I support the Committee’s Report. I have believed in this House that when work is done by a Committee, we should always as much as possible listen to the Committee because they are the ones who have gone through the whole process of investigating, researching, et cetera and so I support it. However, what I want to speak about is how low we have sunk. It is about time we realised that what is happening to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) can happen to any other Committee in this House. We are probably sitting back and saying “Oh, it is not me who is being talked about in the newspapers; it is not me who is being taken to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).” From the way I have seen things being conducted, at any time that could be the case for any Member who is sitting in any Committee of the House. This House is held in high regard. It is up to us to decide whether we want to continue being held in high regard or we are happy to be viewed as mediocre. Why do I say that? If you have a Committee that is handling serious issues like the PAC was doing; very serious issues, probably the most important Committee of this House, and then they start accusing each other of being corrupt, I do not even know what we were investigating because they themselves are the ones who called each other corrupt. When hon. Cheboi says the Committee was not able to establish whether or not there was corruption, they have in effect given that particular work to the relevant organ of this State, which is the EACC. For us to start having Members appearing before the EACC, it is a shame for this House. It is a disgrace. If that does not touch everybody, then it will be a matter of time before we start seeing the whole House appearing before the EACC. I am speaking this way because as I said, it is not us today but it could be us tomorrow. It is nothing to gloat about, nothing to be happy about but it is important for us to know that we are held in high esteem. We are elected. I am here elected by the people of Nairobi. I got over 600,000 votes. Those are not votes you take lightly. Those are not things you take lightly when you are sitting in Committees. We are supposed to The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}