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{
    "id": 552057,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/552057/?format=api",
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    "content": "in the counties, by equalizing them with the Members of the National Assembly and many other issues. Madam Temporary Speaker, we do not expect our brothers in the National Assembly to raise any issues which would otherwise undermine this very important Bill. This is because it is also good for the National Assembly. As it is now, the Clerk of the National Assembly does not sit in the PSC. Similarly, the Speaker of the Senate does not sit in the PSC. Therefore, these two critical offices are left out of that very important Commission. However, through these administrative measures, we are going to bring the Clerk of the National Assembly to be fully in charge of the National Assembly. We shall also make our Speaker to be fully in charge of the Senate. So, we do not expect any disagreements on the contents of this Bill. There is only one issue which has been raised and which we are going to address at the Committee Stage; membership of the two service committees. One, it has been proposed in the Bill that a Member of the National Assembly sits in the Senate Service Committee and similarly one Member the Senate to sit in the National Assembly Service Committee. I think that does not make sense and I agree with the Members who have pointed this out to me. This is because if it is a Senate Service Committee, then it has to be manned by the Senators. Members of the Parliamentary Service Commission who are Senators would be sitting in the Senate Service Commission. So, we are not duplicating their role. We are going to recognize their services fully. Similarly, Members of the Parliamentary Service Commission of the National Assembly would sit in the National Assembly Service Committee. So, no Member of the Senate is going to sit in the National Assembly Service Committee and vice versa. We are going to remove the tensions that may arise as a result of that provision during the Committee Stage. Madam Temporary Speaker, as I said, the Bill received tremendous support from all the Members. I want to thank them for their efforts in strengthening the Senate. This taken along with what we discussed today about enhancing our oversight role under Article 96 through the Kshs1 billion fund, I think the Senate is going to be a different place. I want to thank Members because the Senate being the apex institution of devolution in this country needs to manage its affairs in a very effective and efficient manner which this particular Bill intends to bring. With those few remarks, I beg to move."
}