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{
    "id": 545504,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/545504/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 470,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, you will remember when the Senate started; we have gone through the most harrowing and humiliating processes. The Senate was sitting in what we commonly described as a “garage,” at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). The “garage” made the whole concept of a Senate a very big joke. I have visited a few county assemblies. If you go to the County Assembly of Nakuru and many others, they have chambers that are as good as this Chamber. This is because we have given them autonomy. Let it be understood very clearly that the autonomy that the Senate is seeking is not to bestow personal benefits to the Senators. Indeed, the Bill is very clear that it is to assist and enable Senators to discharge their functions. The Senate has a very important and onerous responsibility. In fact, Article 96 of the Constitution is the only Article that enjoins the Senate the responsibility of protecting and defending counties and their governments. So, the failure or success, the comfort or discomfort of the county governments is our cardinal responsibility. The Senate will not function effectively and properly if at every twist and turn, we have our colleagues in the National Assembly through the PSC standing in our way. Many of us have spoken on this Floor before, about the demeaning and disrespectful manner in which the Chairman of the PSC has handled matters of the Senate. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, equally important is the demeaning and disrespectful manner in which the Chairperson of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the Executive of the national Government have generally viewed and handled the Senate. The Senate is always an afterthought, “an also present” an “also available” and above all, a “we can do without” institution. Yet there is no other organ in this country that the Constitution has given the responsibility to defend and protect counties and their governments. You cannot discharge that very important responsibility if you have no autonomy and if you cannot determine how you are going to work. In this Bill, Clause 12(c) of this Bill is very important because it seeks to create two committees under Clause 12 (b); there is the PSC which has a twin prong, that is, a committee for the National Assembly and one for the Senate which is equal in structure, in numbers, in authority and responsibility. It cannot be any fairer than that. Regarding Clause 12 (c), the committee will then facilitate and coordinate the provision of services and facilities to the two Houses. This is what the committees will do. Clause 12 (b) states that the committee of each House will monitor and evaluate the implementation of policies, plans and strategies formulated by the commission with respect to each House and report to the commission. More importantly, it will make recommendations to the commission on the formulation and implementation of plans and programmes to promote the efficiency and the effective functioning of the respective Houses. Then, it will provide a platform for the articulation of issues that are unique to each House. What are those issues? The distinguished Senator for Meru represents a geographical county that has nine constituencies. I represent one with nine constituencies. The distinguished Senator for Kakamega represents one with 13 constituencies. Nairobi County has 17 constituencies. You cascade down to the smallest county Lamu which has two constituencies. 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."
}