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{
    "id": 661935,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/661935/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 318,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "As Sen. M. Kajwang said, Clause 4 gives the order. We have not been bold enough in (i). We have compressed this category too much. I know that Senators are Members of Parliament, but of a different category. For example, parliaments across the world, like in Rwanda or United States of America (USA), Senators are addressed as ‘Senators.’ For us in this new dispensation where we are the guardian angels of counties, it needs to be clear. We are not Members of Parliament (MPs) in the sense that Members of the National Assembly are MPs; there is a distinction. That is why we have a bicameral system rather than a unicameral system. The problem arises because we have not yet embraced the level of bicameralism that we need to embrace in this country. We are finding a problem with this Bill because it is silent. There is no single sentence or word about Senators in the Bill. It looks like it is being avoided quite consciously. We need to deal with the evident lack of the mention of ‘Senators’. In Clause 6 (f), the proposals for titles are given for everybody else apart from the Senators. That needs to be noted. When it comes to making amendments, we should put that in order. As has been said by Sen. M. Kajwang, Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) have also been left out. We should accept that we have the devolved system, which has county assemblies and county governments. We have a different parallel form of authority across the specific counties, which is clear and important. If we do not do what is stated in Clause 4 (3), which is interestingly helpful in this Bill, we can have a recipe for conflicts in succession. That Clause comes out clearly to say that presiding order does not mean a natural succession. There is a process for succession that is separate from the order that has been given. If left like that, it can create a problem when it comes to succession; people might forget the specific process. We all love to move quickly through traffic jam and so, the enforcement of this law has to be straight to ensure that those who use sirens are the ones who are meant to use them. There is a particular group of about seven people who are allowed to use sirens. I am also happy because the former Presidents and the former Prime Minister will be allowed to use sirens. That gives us a plus, especially for the CORD Coalition. Clause 6 states that the governor of a county shall be referred to as “the governor”. Where a provision has already been made for Members of Parliament (MPs) that they be addressed as ‘honourable’, we can suggest the use of ‘honorable Senator’ for specific Members of this House. Penalties of up to about Kshs1 million have been given for wrong use of titles. Titles are really about culture and how it is entrenched within a particular society. It is important to have a culture that is entrenched in a way that is meaningful. Every time we talk about culture, we remember that it is a way of life. Most of the time, culture is about an agreement among various people. There is nothing cast in stone when we talk about dialogue about the Constitution. The definition of a law is that it is a social contract among various people. This is why we have amendments for people to give their views about a particular law. It is only in Kenya where it becomes a battle ground. In most of the other legislatures and countries, it is something simple, straightforward and in sync. At the end of the day, we want to make changes that are key and important. Even as the change is taking place, the main issue is to embrace the values. The values in The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate"
}