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{
    "id": 814168,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/814168/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 129,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kisumu West, FORD-K",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Olago Aluoch",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 5,
        "legal_name": "John Olago Aluoch",
        "slug": "john-aluoch"
    },
    "content": "Fundamentally, the issues which have been raised now call for a closer look at our Standing Orders. I have the privilege of serving in the Rules and Procedure Committee and when I listen to Members talking, I get ideas on what we need to do to make our Standing Orders more receptive to some of these challenges. Many times, I have noticed that when Members are interrogating witnesses in committees, there is complete lack of interrogating skills. Members accuse each other in front of witnesses. I know that in the Executive, there are Cabinet Secretaries who know how some Members behave and when they come before a committee, all they need to do is say one sentence that creates controversy and then they sit back smiling as the Members fight themselves. That is their method of dealing with committees. They create controversy and then they sit back smiling as you fight yourselves. What do we portray when we fight ourselves? These are issues very close to my heart. How do we deal with conflict with each other, either in committees or even outside this House? Do we need to shout? Do we need to be so friendly and fall over ourselves because we want to be friends with the Cabinet Secretaries? Even if we feel that they are innocent, is there not a better way of handling those issues? Standing Orders, as they are now, allow for friends of committees. There is a reason why that was put in the Standing Orders. But when a Member of this House appears as a friend of a committee with a fixed purpose - to defend a witness and start fighting with his colleagues in the committee - what are we portraying of ourselves? Do we need to look at the Standing Order providing for what a friend of a committee can or cannot do? As it is now, a friend of a committee can participate in the deliberations but cannot vote. Do we need to relook at that so that we know how to limit ourselves or retrain ourselves? Sometimes I feel embarrassed when I see that we lack the art of dealing with those who appear before us, as committees. Ultimately, as you give guidance on this very important issue, I would like us to relook at our Standing Orders so that we address these issues. If we do not address them and retrain ourselves, then we are going to be an embarrassment to this nation and some of us will be ashamed to even say they are Members of Parliament. Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}