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{
    "id": 801515,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/801515/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 127,
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    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, I have seen the senior Senator, Sen. (Prof.) Ongeri, has arrived and the Whips are very excited that we can now go into Division. I do not wish to say much, but I would like to say that our counties must realize that we will protect them. We will give them resources, but they must protect those resources. Article 96 of the Constitution states that the Senate shall protect counties and their governments. That includes the protection of counties from county governments. Sometimes, the county governments can become corrupt to the extent that the counties suffer. Therefore, this House, through the Senate County Public Accounts and Investments Committee (CPAIC), must do its job to ensure that even as we devolve these large sums of money, accountability is achieved at the local level, so that our people can benefit. Even as we fight for accountability, we the Senators of the Republic of Kenya, believe that the process of fighting corruption must also follow the law. We do not want situations where the governors will be harassed just for the purpose of showing that we are fighting corruption or where corruption will be used for purposes of witch-hunting. I know that there is a magistrate who has made a very interesting ruling that all corruption suspects will not be given bail. I am interested because I have seen a report that says that some governors will be charged. It will be very interesting to see if a governor will be locked in for three or four years to charge them over a corruption case that is going on. What will be happening in the county whose governor is locked in? Madam Temporary Speaker, these are serious issues of law and some of us, like Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. and the Senior Counsel here are saying that once such a process starts, if you do not follow the law in one instance, you will have a problem in the next instance. What will happen if someone accuses the governor of county ‘X’ maliciously and says that he stole money belonging to the country? The governor will end up being locked at the Industrial Area Remand Prison for three years. I do not think that is achievable. We must also fight corruption by fighting under the law and through a procedure that is sustainable and will see that everybody is equal under the eyes of the law. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}