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{
    "id": 616974,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/616974/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 13,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "The Senate Majority Leader ought to have sent a requisition yesterday. However, it was received and within no time, a Gazette notice was drafted, executed and published on the same day. As the Senate Minority Leader, at least I expected the Speaker or my brother the Senate Majority Leader to call me and inform me of the requisition proposal for a Special Sitting and whether we can agree on a convenient date. We would not have been unreasonable to that extent. No such request happened. In fact, I received a text message and not in a manner I expected. The text message was sent and signed by a Clerk-at-the-Table named Caroline - whom I have respect for - yesterday at 7.48p.m., informing me that the Speaker has set a Special Sitting this day. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we are not here to debate a matter that does not require a vote like a security situation on a Motion of adjournment. We are here to deal with matters that have been heavily contested on this Floor. These are matters that we have repeatedly raised objections and we feel were inadequately addressed. We required the Chair to give us a ruling. Importantly, I expected the Speaker’s and the Senate Majority Leader’s offices - assuming that all the Senators are within the country - to consider that a Senator from far flunk Turkana, Marsabit and Wajir counties among others, require time to come to the Senate. A Senator cannot be informed of the scheduled Special Sitting at 8.00 p.m., and the next day he or she is expected to come and sit especially while on recess. Our side of the House is neither obstructing nor hindering but we are looking at fundamentals of fair play in adjudicating the proceedings of this House from your office. We say this with the greatest respect to the Chair and everyone else involved in this. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you know or you have reason to know that the Bills that have come to the Floor today are not constitutional timeline bound Bills that are required under the Schedule of the Constitution to pass within a particular time. The Public Audit Bill and The Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Bill are amendments to the Bills we passed pursuant to the Constitution in the last Parliament. The Water Bill is not a constitutional timeline bound Bill. Where it is necessary to convene the House to deal with the pending matters from the immediate last session, fair play must be adhered to. What is the crisis, rationale and rush for? One need not be a rocket scientist to know why we are pressing the panic button on the matter of the Auditor-General’s Office. The Chair lives in this country and I am sure you can take cognisance of the audit issues that are under continuous public debate. We as a critical component of this House urge the Chair to find it within your competence and good sense that the notice given for this sitting is extremely unreasonable, oppressive, onerous and consequently unworthy of being adhered to by this House presided over by yourself to the extent that we must be given an opportunity to whip our Members and caucus with them. Mr. Speaker, Sir, our colleagues across the Floor have been caucusing the whole day. We know where they have been and what they have been told as well as what they have come to do. Therefore, we must be given an opportunity to do the same on our side because---"
}