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{
    "id": 580045,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/580045/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 176,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Odanga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2286,
        "legal_name": "Geoffrey Makokha Odanga",
        "slug": "geoffrey-makokha-odanga"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I also support the Bill which is sponsored by Hon. Adan Keynan. Parliament, both the Senate and the National Assembly, is a House of privileges and honour. This Bill seeks to protect Members of Parliament (MPs) from prosecution for anything that they utter in Parliament or in the precincts of the House. Therefore, it needs a lot of support from the Members of the National Assembly. We heard from last week when we were prosecuting Hon. Kaluma’s Bill about Hon. Gor Sungu who had to go to court because of the job he was doing in Parliament as the Member of a Committee. The Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) should have informed the House in good time or even appealed on his behalf. Given that already a verdict has been made, Kshs10 million is too much for a Kenyan who is not working and earning regular payment. That is a fine that will only send the former Member of National Assembly for Kisumu Town East to his early grave. Therefore, I urge that if there is anything that the MPs can do to help settle the fine that has been imposed on Hon. Gor Sungu, that will do us very well. The Bill has done very well by defining what the precincts of Parliament are. We really need to do a lot to improve this Bill so that it is acceptable to all of us, even the members of staff that we have. We have known that for quite a long time, they have all been going without regular emoluments. Sometimes, the emoluments delay beyond three, four to five months. They are supposed to be the image of MPs and yet, when they are in the constituencies, they look like beggars. Sometimes, they ask for funds from their MP and even from other constituents and yet, the reverse should be true. I ask PSC, which hon. Keynan is a member, to ensure that our parliamentary staff are remunerated on time. Lastly, these privileges should also extend to other people or Kenyans who are invited to Parliament, mainly in Committees, so that they are not unduly harassed. I support. Thank you, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker."
}