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{
    "id": 768385,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/768385/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 277,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "While I appreciate that 27 out of 349 Members in a day is a very small number, we are also lacking in the sense that there are those Members who wait for several hours only to speak for less than five minutes when they eventually get the opportunity. We have those of you who speak for two minutes and conclude by saying “With those many remarks, I support”. That is how we gain time. We are happy that some of you cannot speak for 10 minutes. You find the period of 10 minutes too long, which is good for other Members. There are others who choose not to speak. Even though Hon. Lomenen is sympathetic to them, there are some Members who do not want to speak. They come here and walk out. Therefore, you cannot eat your cake and have it. You cannot claim that because you have come today, you want to have all the time to speak. Sometimes, we have to balance and I want to assure this House that all the Members of the panel know there is need to balance. Sometimes, some of you come here and place your cards such that you find Members from one county following each other and it will be unfair that they are the only ones addressing this House. So, there is need for us to also have some flexibility to balance Members from different counties. Today has been a very unfortunate day because all the ladies came after the men had placed their requests. Our machine is only able to display the first 10 names. So when I scroll down to numbers 30 and 40, I see the ladies names appearing. Sometimes, I have to exercise discretion and consider whether I should give a chance to those who came in at 3.30 p.m. or 3.40 p.m. when there are others who placed their cards between 2.30 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. These are things we have to balance. I know the time the Member for Mwingi Central came in. His size is such that I cannot miss to see him. I saw him come in but unfortunately, his card is not among the first few today, but it is still within the system. So maybe, in the next business he will get a chance to contribute. Do not ever imagine that you are being ignored. There are Members like the Member for Makueni, who luckily is not present today. He is usually the first to place his card and does not usually know the business being debated. I have heard some Members say that even though their cards are inserted they do not want to speak on a particular business. This is because Members want to make sure that their cards are inserted because that is the only way to catch the Speaker’s eye, using the machine. Nevertheless, we have to balance. I know there is the NASA Coalition which is made up of about four major parties and other small parties such as Chama cha Uzalendo (CCU), Muungano Development Movement Party and others. I see Members from these small parties and they are entitled to speak because they are in a coalition and cannot be ignored. When the Member for Seme speaks, I should look for somebody from Kilifi because I know he is from Kisumu County. The Member for Kanduyi is seated next to him and once he speaks, the other Members from Bungoma County may wait a little longer before they get a chance to speak. We have to do that kind of balancing because every one of you here represents people and interests. Therefore, we must keep balance at all times. I think we can proceed with the Business appearing as No.10. The Leader of the Majority Party."
}