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"content": "National Assembly to remove the security of tenure of judges, that of the Attorney- General and that of Auditor and Controller General. Therefore, these are not wild ideas. They are ideas that if we do not watch out very carefully may lead us to be folded up. At least when the First Senate was abolished, a seat was created for each Senator. However, Sen. Kagwe, when they scrap off the Senate, you will just go back home to Nyeri. Hopefully, you will do some business which will keep you busy. So, I want us to show the spirit that I have seen from the other side of the political divide in this House. You need to be congratulated when the Senate Majority Leader would stand where Members of the National Assembly and the President of the Republic of Kenya were and speak for the Senate. Our three Senators, in meeting with the National Assembly, were speaking for the Senate. So, in the next one year – because the election programme is going to come very quickly – we need to stay together in order to make devolution function. We should make sure that we continue to register successes in this new project of ensuring that resources go to the counties. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there is one thing which is already going on that we may lose sight of. Parliament is one which appropriates and authorizes expenditure. In the last conversations that we had between the National Assembly and ourselves, it would appear that the role of Parliament of budget making and authorizing expenditure, which was borne out of years of experience, should come back to where it belongs. I believe and fear no contradiction that the Budget and Appropriations Committee in the National Assembly has become part of the Treasury and is no longer part of the National Assembly. In fact, they pretend to be making speeches in the National Assembly as part of the National Assembly but, indeed, they have become part of the national Treasury. Unfortunately, they do not belong even to the first tier of leadership in the national Treasury. They belong to the third tier of the national Treasury. At least, I know that if Sen. Kagwe had been working for the national Treasury, even if he was consumed or bought by the Treasury, he would not agree to just be part of the third tier of the national Treasury. He would want to call the shots. It is very clear now, unlike before, that the national Treasury comes to Parliament as invited guests. They are not part of Parliament at all. In fact, they should be escorted by the orderlies. But you find the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee following the two representatives of Treasury, as if they are the leadership of the National Assembly and, indeed, Parliament. That is a big shame for the freedom that we have fought for, to make Parliament a supreme body in matters of legislation and finance. The Reverend should be told that the moment he is seen in that particular guise, he is like the archangel being followed by the devil. That cannot work out because it is hon. Mutava Musyimi who should be looking into the affairs of the national Treasury. He should look into their misdeeds and wastages. But if he is the one now who is following them like a toddler, it is the biggest shame I have ever seen. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this is the moment that together we can make sure that this great project of devolution works. Sen. Kagwe got it right. To some extent, whether money is being wasted at the counties, we are seeing signs that certain things are happening there unlike before. I have a problem with many governors but, at least, if I go 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."
}