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{
    "id": 756914,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/756914/?format=api",
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    "content": "accordance with our Standing Orders, those nominations have to be processed through the Senate Business Committee and through the whole House, which takes time. The information I have is that parties are still consulting on their nominees. Given the prevailing political circumstances in the country, such consultations are likely to take a little longer than would have been necessary. Because of that reason, and because also not only our Standing Orders but even the Constitution itself anticipates a situation where there will be need for other Senators, other than the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, helping in the running of the House, this Motion seeks to enable us as a House to identify one or two colleagues who can hold brief in the interim and be able to relieve both yourself and the Deputy Speaker as need may be. Mr. Speaker, Sir, should you be out of town, for example, for a State function or official duties because the Speaker of the House as the head of this institution will be called upon to perform other functions outside this House, it is not humanly possible for the Deputy Speaker to sit there all the time from 2.30p.m. to 6.30 p.m. Similarly, when the Deputy Speaker is not in the House, it is not practical for the Speaker to be the only one sitting there from 2.30p.m. to 6.30p.m. Because of those practicalities, it is onlyprudent that we move a Motion to elect two colleagues. I beg to move the following Motion:- THAT, pursuant to Standing Order No.15 of the Senate Standing Order and Article 107(1) (c) of the Constitution, the Senate elects Senator (Prof.) Margaret Kamar and Senator Irungu Kang’ata to preside over sittings of the Senate at any time when both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker are absent for the period pending the election of the Speaker’s Panel pursuant to Standing Order No. 17. Mr.Speaker, Sir, I have already explained my Motion in my introductory remarks. We need at least two colleagues. We would have wanted ideally to have one colleague from the Majority side and another from the Minority side. However, because of the prevailing political situation it has not been possible to secure a colleague from the Minority side. As the mover of this Motion I attempted to approach one or two Members and they were all very scared because they are supposed to be demonstrating in town. They are not supposed to be here according to their party. They took off as soon as I embarked on that journey. I am happy my brother Sen. Kang’ata has gone to cover the House from the other side since the two Senators who were here disappeared because they went to demonstrate in town. Be that as it may, the House must continue because when there is quorum and when Senators are present, it is immaterial of the political party balance. That question only comes up in specific issues which are spelt out in in the Standing Orders. I see no reason why the business of the House should not continue. If you allow me, I will say that Sen. (Prof.) Kamar is a distinguished daughter of Kenya who has served in various capacities in this country as Minister for Higher Education, Member of Parliament for Eldoret East and on the Speaker’s Panel in the National Assembly in the previous Parliament. I do not think there would be a more"
}