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{
    "id": 704318,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/704318/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 216,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kembi-Gitura",
    "speaker_title": "The Deputy Speaker",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 242,
        "legal_name": "James Kembi Gitura",
        "slug": "kembi-gitura"
    },
    "content": " Thank you very much. I do not know whether the Majority Leader wants to make a response but even before you do, if you want to, the issues raised by the honourable Senators are of extreme weight and importance. I believe it is a matter that has been simmering for a long time because as all of us are aware, Bills have gone down to the “Lower House” and have not come back to us. This is a serious issue because as Sen. (Dr.) Machage said, we are a House of legislation and one of our core duties is to legislate and when we pass Bills, we must see them to the end. That is the point that has been made by Senators and they are matters of great importance. So, it is a matter that requires a bit of consultation but before we do that, I would direct the Leader of Majority to do this; first, I know you have a tracking document of all these Bills. Unfortunately, procedurally, it is not shared with the Senators so that they may not know how many Bills have been passed in Senate and have gone to the “Lower House” and have not come back. The tendency is that everybody knows the Bills that they were interested in. There are many Bills of this nature. I will put the burden on you because you are the Senate Majority Leader. You will table in this House a list of all the Bills that have been passed by the Senate, referred to the National Assembly and have not come back. Have a complete track of all the Bills. Once you have tabled them, then I would propose that you have an open debate in the House on the way forward. The issues that have come up from the Members are extremely important. The Senate Majority Leader, you have a duty and you must help us to find a way forward on these issues because we cannot keep passing Bills, nothing seems to happen to them and some of the Bills that we should have an input on have been taken for assent without our knowledge or having come back to us. This is an important issue. I am directing that maybe by latest Thursday, next week, you table a list of all those Bills. When you table them, give us your considered opinion on the way forward. If need be, let Senators debate that issue further so that we can know how we will deal with the situation. It is a matter of great importance like Sen. (Eng.) Muriuki has said, constitutionality is involved in all these. It is an issue that we need to look at and settle, once and for all. That would be my direction."
}