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{
    "id": 744437,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/744437/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 115,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "time it was out for 60 days in the Petition, we will now lament forever. I hope the new Senate will revisit this issue on time so that people will not continue suffering. Therefore, this is a very timely move. The Committee has come up with this report. I hope that those who will come later will find it fit to say that it was a good thing done by people in the 11th Parliament. Madam Temporary Speaker, there is also a very important view in the report about presentation of the Budget Policy Statement (BPS). This is mainly done by the National Assembly and very little is left to the Senate yet the Senate is supposed to oversight the counties. One wonders why there is such a contradiction. Whereas we represent the counties and budget proposals are meant to propose and propagate what is in the county, the Senate is left without doing much about the budget statement. It is important, therefore, that this is noted. We should stick to it. As much as the budget will be discussed in the National Assembly, it is the role of the Senate to make sure that it is done on time, and then, we make it happen by oversighting the county governments. We are charged with the responsibility of protecting the counties. If we are not given the mandate to protect the counties, it means that devolution which is the key word for our survival here; we will be seen to be wasting our time. So, it is important that as it comes to us, as we oversight and protect the counties, we should also protect the budget. Without the budget, there is nothing we will do, hence, we should be provided with the oversight facility; financial support. We should revisit the Sang Bill which was discontinued here. It was disallowed by the courts. Sometimes we wonder whether we exist because whatever effort we make towards making our ends to meet, we face bottlenecks and hurdles. The courts also join in negating our efforts. Therefore, it will be very hard for people to note that we have been working hard because our fruits here have not been seen publicly. Anytime we try to succeed, we are blocked by the court, the National Assembly and the Constitution. That is the reason why we should think of having a referendum anytime next year or in the next Government so that we can empower the Senate with the powers that be. We should give the Senate the teeth to bite. It should be seen as the House of finality; a House that makes decisions with finality. That is the only way the public out there and Members of the National Assembly will respect the Members who seat in this Senate. Madam Temporary Speaker, it is also important for us to be seen like we are in a House that comprises of people who are experienced; people who have had time in this world and country to be where they are and have made a name in this country. That is what this Senate has been. We have had very prominent people like Sen. (Dr.) Machage, Sen. Orengo who in the 1970s fought for students’ rights – I remember him because he was there when I was there – and people who have had a lot of experience in this country. These people will change their positions from being Senators to even being in Members of the National Assembly. Some of them will be governors, businessmen and even consultants with the Government. I plead with them that when they get out there, they should explain to the public and the House they will be in that the Senate is the “Upper” House and should be respected and treated with the decorum it deserves."
}