Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 820311,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/820311/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 25,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Khaniri",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 171,
        "legal_name": "George Munyasa Khaniri",
        "slug": "george-khaniri"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for the opportunity. I just walked in when Sen. Cheruiyot was on the Floor and, therefore, I do not have the privilege to have listened to the prayers in the Petition. I do not know the merits or the demerits. Therefore, I will not speak to the contents of the Petition. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to speak to the procedure because I heard Sen. Ledama and Sen. Cheruiyot asking you to disregard this Petition. I want to differ with them because the Constitution of Kenya is very explicit that any Kenyan is free to Petition any House of Parliament. Therefore, this particular Kenyan who petitioned the Senate was just exercising his democratic right as provided for in the Constitution. Mr. Speaker, Sir, further to that, our Standing Orders are also very explicit on how we deal with a Petition that is validly presented to this House. I want to believe that this Petition, whether it has merits or demerits, is validly presented to this House. Therefore, we must follow the procedures as provided for in the Standing Orders in disposing of this particular Petition. Standing Order No.226(1) says that every Petition presented or reported pursuant to this part shall stand committed to the relevant standing Committee. We cannot run away from that. The Petition is already presented here and validly so. Therefore, it must be committed to the relevant committee, notwithstanding the merits or demerits of the Petition. Mr. Speaker, Sir, yes, I see the point being raised by Sen. Olekina and Sen. Cheruiyot. Sen. Olekina says that we should throw the Petition to the trash; we cannot do that. Let us just deal with it the way it is supposed to be dealt with. However, going forward, that is where we must find a remedy. These petitions must be vetted before they are presented to the House. Once it is presented to the House, then we have no choice, but deal with it regardless how skewed it may be. Going forward, we must have a mechanism to vet these petitions before they are presented to the House. I, therefore, want to urge you to follow our Standing Orders and commit this Petition to the relevant Committee. Let it deal with the Petition."
}