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{
    "id": 822682,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/822682/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 233,
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    "content": "generations will not have to go through what we have gone through in terms of the deficit in power generation and hiccups in supply and retail of power. I wish to commend one counsel that I worked with, Mr. Apollo Mboya. I think he has been mentioned, but it is important to mention his name because single-handedly, even when he was being dismissed, he kept his eye on the ball until the criminal enterprise that was taking place within Kenya Power Company came out. Everybody then saw the truth of what it was; that not only were the small people involved, but large organisations that depend on energy industries were paying bills that they should never have paid in the first place. Madam Temporary Speaker, I have read about a writer who has dealt with issues of grand corruption. He says that sometimes corruption issues do not depend on whether you have institutional loss. Just having one person committed to elimination of corruption sometimes---It could be a Chief Justice, Head of State or somebody in some positon of responsibility. In Nigeria, we have had governments, which were not elected and yet, once in a while, you find a name like Murtala Mohammed. For the brief period that he was there, he dealt with corruption in a very effective way. I am not taking Nigeria as an example; I think Kenya will be a better example comparatively. The point I am trying to make is that single-handedly, sometimes we can find a force that can change history in the world of politics, social movement and religion. In Kenya, we have tried good laws, institutions and a good Constitution, but that still does not work. Kenya, which should have been doing free and fair elections, is giving a bad example to countries like Zimbabwe; that an election which looks to be free and fair at the time of casting the ballot can turn out to be a monster. At the end of the day, let us all commit ourselves, as Kenyans, not because laws are there, but because it is good to do so for the sake of humanity. I was keenly observing some of our colleagues whom we were with on a visit outside Kenya. You could see people wearing seatbelts when they get into cars and when traffic lights show that you should not cross, they stop until the lights turn green. Out there, the law is obeyed the way it should but as soon as they come back, they are the biggest lawbreakers. That is why I said that it starts with us and not the Government. We need to ask ourselves how we want Kenya to be. We should decide whether we want it to be a better society or a society where all goes so long as you are the winner at the end. This is a good piece of work. I am not saying this because I am praying or begging for it. This is the way it should be. It is tragic to have the sibling rivalry because the people who drafted the Constitution wanted issues of law-making and oversight to take place in circumstances where every citizen, if possible, should be involved. In fact, in Kenya today, I think one of the biggest achievements we have made is involving the people in legislation. It should be a requirement that no legislation should go through Parliament without the participation of the people. Sometimes, I wonder why the National Assembly would want to ignore the Senate or the Senate to ignore the National Assembly. As a matter of our constitutional principle and the letter and spirit of our Constitution, all Bills should go to both Houses. The President of the Republic of Kenya should ensure that it is a good starting point and legacy. That is how democracies have 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."
}