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{
    "id": 609750,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/609750/?format=api",
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    "content": "Speaker, Clerk or the Majority Leader about the allegations made by the “Lower House” over the truth behind the Kshs1 billion for capacity building in the Senate for oversight, he would have gotten more information. He would have then questioned the National Assembly’s stand on this before it was too late. I would like to encourage the Cabinet Secretary for finance to understand that he is the Cabinet Secretary for the whole of Kenya and not just the National Assembly for that matter. One of the reasons Senators would like to be in a position to move around the counties is to fulfill one very important function or principle of public participation in the Constitution. The Constitution, precisely because it begins by saying, the people are sovereign, further goes on to state that in making certain decisions and passing certain laws, participation of the public is extremely important since the Senate is the body that represents the counties in legislation and the body charged by Article 96 of the Constitution to defend and promote the interest of the counties. When it comes to issues of the Budget, it is Senators who should be in a position to go to counties and ensure that public participation in the process of budget making is important and effective. You cannot do this if you cannot convene meetings and have service providers and experts to discuss the Budget. The National Assembly seems to think that the Budget is just a document of negotiating between them and the Cabinet Secretary. Not at all! The process of budget making begins with public participation by the people from the counties and all interest groups so that they understand the proposals that the Government is making with regard to raising money and how that money can be best spent to meet the people’s basic needs and promote social and economic development. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in the morning it was said in this House that there may be a process going on of undermining the Senate with a view to abolishing it. If anybody has such a thing in mind, it is a very tall order because abolishing the Senate would mean a complete re-look and renegotiation of the Constitution. It is not that easy. You may frustrate the work of the Senate, but one thing you will not do very easily is abolish it."
}