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{
    "id": 578992,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/578992/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 73,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Wakhungu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1889,
        "legal_name": "Chrisantus Wamalwa Wakhungu",
        "slug": "chrisantus-wamalwa-wakhungu"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Speaker. What my colleagues have said is true. My issue is this: This is a bicameral system and we must have tolerance. What Hon. Chepkong’a has raised is a critical issue. We cannot waste time calling witnesses and yet, we have no solution, notwithstanding Article 125 of the Constitution where the Senate can call anybody. Article 96 of the Constitution is clear in terms of the roles of the Senate. It is time we examined and see the value of the Senate. Some time back, the Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee had an audit on the Constitution. With such critical issues where there is overlapping, it is time this report should come to the floor of the House. Then it can bring progress in terms of the amendment of the Constitution. Hon. Speaker, before I move on, Lamb Lighter is from my constituency and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome them to the National Assembly. I am their Member of Parliament. I did not know they are here but I am happy. Some time back, I was watching the National TV and I do not know whether my fellow colleagues saw this. A respected Member of the Senate was on national TV and he was abusing this House as a House of fools. I do not know whether it is within your jurisdiction because we need to respect each other. It reminds me that some time back, there was an hon. Member of the National Assembly who was on TV and the matter was brought on the Floor of the House. We discussed about this. I listened with my small children as that hon. Member was referring to this House as a House of fools. In your ruling - and I do not know whether you have any jurisdiction or what should we do? We must respect each other. As far as I am concerned, if you look at the roles of the Senate, if they do not have work and if we do a cost benefit analysis, then we do not need to have it. We should move and abolish it so that we can have one Parliament. When we implement the Constitution, there are teething problems that will emerge and you will not know. If you note, the majority of the people in the Senate were at the critical level as far as making this Constitution was concerned. They should have known and anticipated this. Now that we have implemented the Constitution, we are seeing emerging problems. It is high time we brought a constitutional amendment to know whether the Senate should be there or abolished. It has happened in other areas. We should not burry our heads in the sand. This thing is recurring. What happened to the Division of Revenue Bill? Many issues were there. As we go to the Supreme Court, if that is the way forward, we must look for a solution. When it comes to legislation, the issue of mediation is taking forever. For instance, I brought a Bill on Fertilizer which was to contribute towards food security. It went through mediation but it has taken two years. So, do we need the Senate? We need to know. It came last year and up to now, we are still going through the mediation since the very first time because of having a bicameral system. In the Presidential 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."
}