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    "id": 591342,
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    "content": "scenes without seeking publicity. That advice assisted this Committee because people are saying they are not seeing us working. We are more concerned in ensuring that we produce a product that is in conformity with the provisions and the desire of this House and for the good of this country. The Committee had terms of reference including; how we can improve protecting the interest of the counties and their governments. We were to inquire on the role of the Senate; how the Senate is involved in matters of budget-making, legislative processes and oversight of the national Government and the county governments. We also had the responsibility to examine the appropriate role that the Senate or Parliament can play in appointment of State officers. We were also reviewing the linkage between the Senate and national Government, the Senate and National Assembly, the Senate and county governments, the Senate and other State organs. We had also the responsibility to recommend to this House the constitutional and legislative innervations that were necessary to ensure we secure and safeguard the devolved system of government. Finally, we had the responsibility to examine and make a recommendation on any other matter that is connected to the issues that I have raised above or incidental to the issues that are necessary and good for this country. We, as a Committee, came up with a report that was tabled in this House. With that report, we came up with a draft Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2015, that actually points out the areas that should be amended. I will give an overview of the Draft Bill, and the details of why the suggested amendments are in the Report. The first part of that Draft Bill is in relation to the legislature. The objective of the Draft Bill is to rationalize the role of the National Assembly and the Senate, particularly by reviewing Articles 94, 95 and 96. Since Independence, the most misunderstood intuition was Senate. In 1969, it was abolished. When we came up with the new Constitution of 2010 and started this Senate in 2013, again, it is the most misunderstood institution in this country. Some of those misunderstandings were actually in the mixture of the roles of these institutions. We had to re-look at Articles 94, 95 and 96 and marry them together with the functions of Parliament to ensure that we had a succinct provision that is clear in terms of capturing the roles of Parliament. Instead of verbose statements that are provided there by providing in one House, it looks like you are excluding the other House. We have proposed an amendment to Article 94, so that we just provide straightforward the role of Parliament. You will permit me to read so that I am very clear on it. It states:- “Parliament shall enact legislation according to Part IV of the Constitution, and Parliaments shall exercise oversight responsibility which is on national revenue, allocate national Government and all it is expenditure state organs and other public entities”. “Parliament represents special interest in the National Assembly and the Senate.” That is Article 94. It very clears that if it is legislative role, it will be for those who are following page two of the Draft Bill. We are also proposing an amendment to the current Article 95 and replace with an article which is also succinct or, brief and to 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."
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