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{
    "id": 772426,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/772426/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 286,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Washiali",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 151,
        "legal_name": "Benjamin Jomo Washiali",
        "slug": "benjamin-washiali"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Speaker. As a member of the Committee on Selection and as one of the leadership of the Majority in the position of whip, I rise to support this Motion as well moved by the Chair of the committee and seconded by my counterpart in the Minority. As members of the committee, I want to admit that we had challenges and it is true that not all Members are happy with the way we have done it. But like the Leader of the Majority Party said while moving this Motion, we will relook at these committees and where there is a genuine problem we shall still come back to you and Members so that, that problem is corrected. I wanted to inform Members, what the Whip of the Minority Party said notwithstanding, that now that Members know the committees they are going to serve in, I am sure out of this session they will start campaigning to be chair and vice-chair. I just wanted to inform them that we have some committees that one may not qualify to be chair because the Standing Orders dictate on whom to be the chair. In some of the committees, Hon. Speaker, you have been mentioned as the chair, especially the House Business Committee. Members, if you looked at Standing Order 171(1)(a), you will realise that the Speaker is the Chair of HBC, similar to the Procedure and House Rules Committee. The Powers and Privileges Committee is equally chaired by the Speaker. The Committee on Selection is chaired by the Leader of the Majority Party. The Committee on Appointments is equally chaired by the Speaker. So if your name appears in those committees, please do not go out there to campaign to be chair or vice-chair because the Standing Orders will not allow you. I want to admit that we did a lot of consultations. I want to thank my colleague, the Whip of the Minority Party, who may not be here with us. Luckily the Deputy Whip of the Minority Party is here with us. We did a lot of consultations across parties. Therefore, the list that we are presenting to the House is consultative enough. I want to repeat that in case there is an omission somewhere, especially where Members claim that they are in one committee, we shall need to look around and see those who are in more than two committees so that we can fit them in those committees. Hon. Speaker, with your permission, there is something I would like to comment on. It took place in this morning session, where one of our colleagues commented on not recognising the current Government. I would just request that our colleagues, especially those in the Minority that we have heard a lot of such comments in and outside the House. I just want to request that if you claim that you do not recognise the President of this Republic, to me it is not news. The President was democratically elected by the majority. I also want to tell you that if your candidate would have passed as the president, I would not have recognised him because I was supporting someone else. I am the Whip of the Majority, which means there are more Members who were elected on this side vis-à-vis on that side. Therefore, if the President was elected by these people on the majority side, who are you not to recognise the President if it is true that you The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}