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{
    "id": 767042,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/767042/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 32,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Khaniri",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 171,
        "legal_name": "George Munyasa Khaniri",
        "slug": "george-khaniri"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to guide the House on comments on petitions; we are not supposed to be discussing the merits and demerits of the petition. We are supposed to make comments without necessarily going into the merits and demerits of the petition. In future, this should be observed. Having said that, I have heard the sentiments from other Members; I have heard the Senate Minority Leader, my friend, Sen. Cheruiyot from Kericho County and I could not agree with them more. However, this House has rules and regulations. We have Standing Orders on how we are supposed to dispose of petitions. Therefore, we cannot just dismiss a petition on the Floor of the House at the stage of making comments on the petition without allowing the petition to be referred to the relevant committee because we have that provision; that whenever a petition has been presented, it has to be referred to the relevant committee. I would like to state that this particular petitioner is within his rights as provided for in the Constitution. Article 37 of the Constitution provides that any citizen can present a petition to any public institution. Article 191 of the Constitution is very specific that any citizen can present a petition to Parliament. This is part of Parliament. Therefore, let us do justice to this petitioner and to the petition that is before us. I plead with my colleagues that rather than dismiss this petition at this stage when we are supposed to be making just comments, we treat it just like any other petition and refer it to the relevant committee that will look into the merits and demerits of the same. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I will personally never support the consumption of Cannabis"
}