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{
    "id": 825044,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/825044/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 248,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kipipiri, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Amos Kimunya",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 174,
        "legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
        "slug": "amos-kimunya"
    },
    "content": "The other thing I wanted to mention is that we debated this issue extensively. Hon. Junet was not in the meeting at that point. There is this issue of participation by the friends of the committee and why you need them to consult the chair rather than the Speaker. The committees are led by the chairs. The prior approval of a friend of the committee by the chair of a committee is important because the chair has the information on the committee and the nitty-gritty of what is happening. That is the only person who can make a decision in terms of whether the friend of the committee will add value or end up disrupting the committee. If we were to ask the Speaker to decide, he would not be party to the deliberations in the committee. So, we will end up with clearance from the Speaker in good faith because he cannot deny a Member but the chairman will have no idea what the Member told the Speaker to get the clearance. Hence it is very important that we let the chair be the one to approve in the first instance for a Member to participate or not to participate in committee proceedings rather than have a Member coming and claiming that he has been cleared by the Speaker. That is why we wanted to insulate the chairs. At the end of the day, it is the chair of the committee who will be left to handle the friends who have come on the authority of the Speaker to ask questions. That could disrupt the whole committee meeting. So, it is on that basis that we deliberated and decided to give the chair authority in the first instance. When it becomes troublesome, it can be escalated to the Speaker through an appeal."
}