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{
    "id": 598737,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/598737/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 140,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wetangula",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Minority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 210,
        "legal_name": "Moses Masika Wetangula",
        "slug": "moses-wetangula"
    },
    "content": " On a point of order. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for that ruling that has some issues that I raised, succinctly clarified and others left hanging. One point that I raised, but the Chair has not touched it at all, and I am not contesting the ruling, is the question of proxy votes. Mr. Speaker, Sir, each delegation is headed by an elected Senator. We have at times been a bit liberal, so to speak, in allowing Members of delegation to vote because they are in the House without asking whether they are designated and nominated to vote. For instance, on a matter as contentious as this - I am sorry the distinguished Senator colleague and sister from Kilifi County - the head of delegation is an elected Senator sitting on this side. It is unlikely that on a matter of this magnitude, he could designate her to cast his vote if he is not there when they are standing on opposite sides. Consequently, my argument was and remains - I would have loved the Chair to give clarity to this - that every single vote is distinct from another. Where proxy votes are required, they must have up to date written, signed designations for Members of delegation to cast a vote on behalf of the head of delegation. Otherwise, when there are serious constitutional issues such as this, there is a possibility of delegated voting being convoluted if not abused. This is a point that your able Deputy Speaker has been consistently arguing on the Floor and in Committees. In fact, when we were sitting in the ‘garage’ at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), he constantly wanted every nominated proxy vote supporting the head of delegation to be current. That is the point I argued which, perhaps, the Chair may not have found necessary to address, but is important. It would have been good to address. Mr. Speaker, Sir, secondly, on the issue of changing positions on the matter, that is academic, intellectual and only fools never change their minds on issues. 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."
}