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{
    "id": 644326,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/644326/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 142,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I deliberately tweeted to those who bothered to follow me that, on that day, I was not going to sit in the Joint Sitting of the two Houses of Parliament. It is because I wanted to express my disappointment and anger at what has happened over the 12 months that followed the time that the President gave his other speech to the Joint Sitting of the two Houses. For that reason, I will not debate this report. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to make it very clear to those people who do not understand parliamentary democracy that representatives of the people have a right to express their protest; to show their disapproval of how the Executive is carrying out its mandate. It is for this reason, before I sit down, that I condemn the decision to punish some Members of the National assembly and a Senator for having risen in their places and expressed the people’s disappointment. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you all remember what happens in the Parliament of South Africa. The President sits there and he is undressed and called names, but no MP is thrown out. You will remember that even in the difficult times of President Moi, hon. Njehu Gatabaki and other patriotic MPs used to stand in their places and express the people’s disappointment with the way the President was conducting the affairs of the State. I appeal to the Speaker of the Senate to find time to talk to the Speaker of the National Assembly so that the punishment that you want to mete out on Hon. Wandayi of suspending him for 11 months is actually punishing parliamentary democracy. We must congratulate the President when he is right the way we gave him a standing ovation when he read the list of shame. When we denied him a standing ovation or audience the way I refused because, having read that list, nothing has come out of it, why should people be punished? This is important unless the two Speakers of the two Houses of Parliament want to give the impression that they are not what we think they are. This is because people will then say that the two Houses have become an appendage of the Executive. Mr. Speaker, Sir, MPs must put pressure on the Executive because there are members of the Executive who perpetuate corruption. At no other time in the history of the Republic of Kenya has corruption been this loud, big and damaging to society. Blowing of a whistle only; and all the Member is saying is that we do not want corruption; how would that be a worse sin than the actual stealing of public funds? Sen. Kembi-Gitura has touched me when he said that he views corruption as an economic crime that should attract capital punishment. Mr. Speaker, Sir, a High Court sentenced the son of Hon. Mwanyoha to hang for robbery with violence. He robbed somebody of Kshs14,500; violently. We all know fthe ormer Cabinet Secretary; Ms. Anne Waiguru, Bruce Odhiambo, Madam Namuye, Nelson Githinji and others, including some Members in this House, named voluntarily through an affidavit by Anne Waiguru--- they are all involved in the loss of billions of shillings. They are being asked to account, yet a boy is being hanged for Kshs14,500. I also know of an old woman in Nyanza whose sons stole two plastic chairs and brought them in her mud-made house. She was put behind bars when the chairs were found there. The law must not be seen to be selective."
}