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{
    "id": 572011,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/572011/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 312,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I am not sure that allowing picketing within Parliament is one of the privileges which we should be having. For example, if the people who slaughtered pigs at the entrances of Parliament created a big mess. Most of the people who want to demonstrate and picket also want to create some surprises. They do not want to be known that they are coming with pigs tomorrow morning so that the police can stop them. I do not know to what extent that would work but personally, I would rather they picket outside on the public road so that we could also give the media and others a chance to make their point. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, my proposal is that when the time comes, the designated areas should be outside so that we agree with the Governor of Nairobi City County that this is the area where people can demonstrate and picket. Once they stop the traffic jam, the message can go out quickly than when they are quietly at a corner inside the precincts of Parliament. Some countries have their Parliament well separated or completely out of town. For example, in Zambia, the Parliament in Lusaka is more than 15 kilometers away from town, such that people must have a good reason to go all the way to Parliament to demonstrate and picket. If we had an opportunity like that, it would have been very good. I have a quarrel with allowing too much interference in Parliament. Some of these people who come to demonstrate in Parliament, sometimes, they talk about a Bill or an Act of Parliament which went through the First Reading, published, is on the website and went through public hearing which they did not attend. When everything is over, they raise issues with some clauses and then they want to demonstrate. It is good to remind everybody that whereas Members of Parliament (MPs) will have immunity to say what they want, the people also have a chance to participate because it allows them to have a voice. That is when they can demonstrate and we will understand. We have had instances where the Judiciary has declared some part or a whole Act unconstitutional or illegal. The same Judiciary will have sat through the public hearing- somewhere along the way, we need to have a system where these Bills are referred to the Judiciary officially. Before the new Constitution came into being, we used to have a fairly straightforward system of Bills. We did not have lawyers in Parliament but now we have them and it is an improvement. The Bills would go to the Attorney-General and in his wisdom, he would refer that Bill to all departments in the public sector including the Judiciary, finance and whoever was relevant to that Bill, so that by the time it comes to Parliament for the First Reading, it is sieved through. That has been improved by the new Constitution and the only window there is now either the Committee to write to the relevant bodies to participate in the public participation or those who think that they are touched in one way or another to find it in the media and then show up. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, my last point is the issue of immunity. I was in Rwanda a couple of months back and attended three informal forums and the same issue was raised about the Kenyan Parliament. At one time, I talked to a taxi driver and his friend, another time, I was in a common restaurant, the type you would find in Tom Mboya and River Road Streets with a lot of wananchi. The third time, I was with 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."
}