Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 628103,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/628103/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 374,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "As we know, everyday is a learning day. We learn here in the Senate and other people learn from us. We are looked upon as sources of information in the community. Why can they not look for such information from the libraries? Many people do not know much about the Constitution. What if the copies of the Constitution were put in these libraries and made accessible to them? This would be good work even for us. It would be a step ahead for people to understand the Constitution, the role of their leaders, how the Government works and other things that can help change the society. We should look forward to a situation whereby we have automated libraries where one can become a member and access information online, read more and make themselves better and useful persons in the society. The committee that this Bill seeks to develop in the counties will consist of the County Executive Committee Member (CEC) responsible for library services. Currently, there is a CEC but the library is still being run by the Kenya National Library Services (KNLS). The board is run nationally. We keep saying that services are devolved but why not devolve information? Why not make it easily accessible to them by devolving library services and giving the CEC a chance to have something to run? Other persons who will be in this Board will be one man and one woman, appointed by the governor with the approval of the county assembly. They have to be renowned academicians who understand the value of books. Most of us, if not all of us, read books stored in our houses, buy them or fetch them from the library but not for the person there at home. I like giving the example of our Constitution because that is the most important thing that will make this person understand how the country works. One may also go to the library just to get news. This library will also have newspapers and they will know the current information in the country. Many people in our communities and constituencies get information from hearsay but if you make the library accessible, you will no-longer deal with hearsay. We will be dealing with real time information; information that this person has accessed and can come to a public baraza, for example, or even challenge the leader because he or she knows what he or she is talking about. In addition, the governor will also appoint another man or woman with five years’ experience in the provision of library services. This group of people is a minority. We have not given libraries the attention they deserve, yet most of the information we talk about even here today, is from the libraries. From here, when we are done with the business on the Order Paper, we go to a library but for your constituents somewhere back in Kakamega or Homa Bay County, if they want to get information about what goes on in the Senate, for example, what was discussed today, this person cannot afford a newspaper. If a library is established, he or she will be equipped with a lot of information that will then help them. This committee will have different functions. Some of them are already being performed by the KNLS Board but it has been there since time immemorial. We need to put words into action. Currently, this country is run under devolution. The Senate is established so that we ensure that devolution is executed to the letter. If these boards are established, we will move the equipping, management, maintenance and use of libraries to the counties. From this, the governor will set aside a fund to ensure that the library is The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes"
}