Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 592428,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/592428/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 210,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. M. Kajwang",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13162,
        "legal_name": "Moses Otieno Kajwang'",
        "slug": "moses-otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": "It was around the same time that the discussion of the Division of Revenue Bill was taking place. I sat quietly and watched. I asked myself what problem there was, if the Senate has taken a position that is aimed at assisting counties and constituencies that reside in those counties. How could someone say that by taking more money to the counties; that will make someone poorer? Sometimes, our people ask; “This gazelle is not your goat. Therefore, what is the problem if I eat it?” The essence was to take more money to the counties. This money would have benefited our brothers in the National Assembly. This is because you are taking money to the counties to be used to support the Level 5 hospitals or set up the courts. I met a judge in Homa Bay who told me that the court they are building in Kendu Bay will not be completed because of inadequate money that was sent to them. That means people have to travel very long distances to get justice. When the Senate made very good and gallant suggestions, we were rubbished. These are bad manners and something needs to be done to see to it that we do not find ourselves in this situation in future. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is on record and in this Report that the discussions by the National Assembly on the Division of Revenue Bill were full of vendetta, element of vengeance and malice. Let it not be said that the Senate today is acting in the same spirit. By coming up with recommendations to strengthen and to define the role of the Senate, let it not be seen that we are responding to the malice or the vengeance and the vendetta that came out of the National Assembly. Let it be said that the Senate decided to put Kenya first to save Kenya from unnecessary squabbles and disagreements when it comes to the Division of Revenue Bill and legislation in this country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when President Obama addressed the nation at Kasarani Stadium, he made a statement which I found quite interesting. He said before he decided to become the President, he read the job description of the President of the United States of America (USA) keenly and he knew what he was going into. The question I want to ask ourselves is: Did we read the job description of a Senator? The reason I am asking this is because an old lady came to my office in my county seeking financial support. My diligent office manager sat her down and told her that the Senator has got such a huge domain with eight constituencies and a population of one million people. Therefore, he cannot sort ought the financial needs of everybody. He advised her to approach her Member of the National Assembly or Member of County Assembly for assistance. The old lady asked the office manager: “Did the Senator not know what he was signing for when he sought this job?” That is the reality. Did we not know what we were getting into? Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is interesting for those of us who have gotten into politics recently. How did the cream of Kenya’s politics, leadership and the best of the best in Kenya end up in a House which has been defined as toothless, ineffective and a retirees’ Chamber? When we were campaigning, I remember the late Sen. Kajwang justifying why he was running for the Senate, he used to regale us with tales that as a Senator, his job would to defend and protect the presidency. He used to say: “We are the ones who will be sitting with the President in the evening by the swimming pool at State House as we analyse the political weather forecast of 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."
}