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{
    "id": 619971,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/619971/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 132,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 170,
        "legal_name": "Bonny Khalwale",
        "slug": "bonny-khalwale"
    },
    "content": "Yes, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to respond. First of all, I want to assure this House that this very Mediation Committee Report went to the National Assembly as a Motion during the last Session and it has been approved. So, we are simply doing catch-up. Secondly, the biggest concern that worried Members of the National Assembly – that is why they rejected this Bill in the first place – was that in the original Bill, we had left the exercise of a decision on changing the seat of government in the hands of the county assembly, the county executive and this Senate. So, we expanded the consultation level to include not just the county assembly and the county executive but also the Senate and the National Assembly and finally subjecting it to extensive public participation. So, this is an all-inclusive provision that should leave everybody resting easy. I now wish to assure the people of Kirinyaga that this Bill has sorted out the original fears that were there between Kerugoya and Kutus Towns. We are aware that the governor had attempted to put up a structure at Kutus. This was part of the machinations; at attempt to force the people’s wish to move away from Kerugoya to Kutus. Now that it is permanently this way, a building like the one the governor has put there is not offensive in any way. They can use it in the short-term or mid-term basis but in the long run, he will eventually put up a proper structure at Kerugoya. By the time I was drafting this Bill, there was a lot of anxiety in Kiambu because there was an attempt to move the seat of government from Kiambu Town - the Town that we know - to Thika. This has been settled and today I am sure that the people of Kiambu will be very happy with this Senate. Finally, is about the people of Laikipia. The fears they had about Rumuruti and Nanyuki have been brought to rest. I hope that this House will find reason to support the amended version of the Bill after the mediation, so that we give His Excellency, President Uhuru Kenyatta an opportunity to assent it into law. With those remarks, I move that the Report of the Mediation Committee on the County Government (Amendment) Bill (Senate Bill No.1 of 2014) be approved by this House. I thank you."
}