Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 548332,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/548332/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 312,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Governor of Machakos County campaigned in the same area. I had more votes than the Governor of Machakos. However, today, the Governor has a flag on his car, he can change vehicles as he wishes; he has askaris behind him wherever he goes, he has money to hire tents whenever he needs them and even the public address system. On top of that, the same Governor can entertain any number of people from Machakos County. Madam Temporary Speaker, when I open my mouth to say that I am the Senator for Machakos County, sitting in the “Upper House”, they tell me: “Excuse us, Sir, we elected you but we actually do not know why we did it. This is because, despite the fact that the Governor is not performing, he has all the powers in the county. He carries the instruments of power with him. So, you are there as a Senator, just to sit in that House called the Senate but you can do nothing.” When I remember the work that I did, and the way we are being treated here by our colleagues in the National Assembly, who have called us names--- If you look at the representation of the Parliamentary Service Commission, the number of Members of the National Assembly in that Commission and the number that is from the Senate, it is very clear that even if we try to tell our representatives there what we want, whatever agenda that will be taken there by the Senate will never see the light of day in that Commission. Madam Temporary Speaker, time has come when we need to create the Committee of the Senate. Our clerks here work in the ‘Upper House’ of Kenya and not any other House. The Senators here represent 47 counties of this country while Members of the National Assembly represent 290 constituencies of this country. A clerk in this House should be treated differently from the clerks in the National Assembly with regard to terms of service. A Member of the National Assembly has an office in Nairobi and another one in the constituency, yet an elected Senator, who represents eight constituencies, is given the same amount of money to open an office. When you step into your county, you are expected to make a difference, but the Governor will not even allow you to see the people who elected. Time has come for us to say that the Senate Committee must be constituted to deal with the affairs and issues to do with this House also known as the “Upper House”. I would like to give a very good illustration of how money is passed in this House, taken to the counties and how it is spent. To start with, despite getting more votes than my Governor, he is referred to as “His Excellency” and I am referred to as Senator Muthama. In terms of experience, I am more experienced in politics than him. I want to give an example of the money that is given to the counties. The Governors have no room for the Senators. It is hard for the Governor to even say that he will fund civic education at a particular corner of the county and ask the Senator to go to talk to the people there. There is absolutely nothing like that. The only talk that you hear in the counties is that Senators are not doing anything. Whenever I go to the different constituencies in my county to attend functions, I am told by the local people that the Governor – not the county government - was there and told them that he is going to build for them a school, college and many more. Madam Temporary Speaker, when I tell my people that my responsibility according to the Constitution is different from putting up buildings and development 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."
}