Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 814464,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/814464/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 71,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, the biggest gain that Kenyans got from the Constitution of 2010 is, of course, devolution. That goes without saying. One of the pillars of devolution is this Senate, as provided for in the same Constitution; that the Senate will serve and protect the interests of the counties and their governments. Therefore, I dare say here that any threat on the Senate is a direct threat and an assault on devolution and it must be rejected vehemently. Mr. Speaker, Sir, what happened yesterday in the National Assembly is regrettable, absurd, unfortunate and uncalled for. If there is any House that adheres to the Constitution and the rule of law, we all know that it is this House. This is a House that is full of wisdom, with Members who have a vast experience, considering that some of us have sat in that other Chamber for many years. To name just a few, we have Sen. (Prof.) Ongeri, Sen. Haji and my elder brother, Sen. Wetangula. We have Senior Counsel Sen. Omogeni and I cannot forget my former Minister, Sen. Poghisio. Therefore, you cannot take this House for granted because it is full of wisdom, experience and knowledge. We must stand up and demand for what is rightfully ours and defend this House as envisioned in the Constitution, because without this House, there is no devolution. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I agree with Sen. Wamatangi, who said that the crime that we have committed, as the second Senate, is that we are full of wisdom and are vibrant. They did not expect what is coming out of this House. We are not going to relent and, in fact, if anything, we are going to step up on what we have been doing for this country. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I now see the sense of those who have been agitating for another constitutional reform. This is because eight years down the road, we now know where the Constitution pinches and we can now make amendments. We must take this matter back to the people of Kenya to decide whether they want the Senate or not. If they do, we must make the Senate a proper “upper” House. This should be taken to the people of Kenya. That is why I say that constitutional amendments and reform, among other things, are due. This is the time to do it. We should put the Senate where it belongs in the Constitution."
}