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{
"id": 833627,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
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"speaker": {
"id": 13165,
"legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
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"content": "on the basis that this petition was flawed on arrival. Justice will have been aborted in such a scenario. It is important Sen. Pareno to consider introducing an amendment to make the Bill be properly be within the confines of Article 159 (4) of the Constitution. Madam Temporary Speaker, Clause 4(b) speaks about a petition being presented by a Member of a County Assembly on behalf of a petitioner with the consent of the Speaker. This is extremely important. One of the things I have learnt, as a legislator, is that sometimes when we make laws in this House, we make them with ourselves in mind. There is absolutely nothing difficult for me, moving from my home in Kabianga – that is the village that I come from – to Kericho Town and presenting a petition, before the County Assembly of Kericho. However, the people that I make laws for might not have bus fare of Kshs200 to go before the County Assembly of Kericho to present their petitions. As law makers, it is good that we do not lose touch with the people we represent here. We, as legislators, complain that members of the public gauge us by our presence in different functions within our counties. We attend funerals, weddings, barazas, et cetera . Sometimes we feel as if it is too much of a demand. However, that face of the legislator’s life is also important, so that we do not lose touch with basic realities. This has been addressed by this particular clause. There can be a situation where members of the public cannot afford bus fare or for one reason or the other cannot present themselves physically before a county assembly and, therefore, can send their MCA to present the petition on their behalf. Madam Temporary Speaker, there are two issues that continue to bother me. First of all, as a Senator, and also as a citizen of this country, a time has come for us to either suspend the business of this House, and say that until we have a proper determination of the process --- How difficult is it to interpret this issue of money Bills and the power to originate Bills before the National Assembly and the Senate? It is a pity that the life of this particular House, not a single Bill that has been forwarded from all the Bills that we have passed in this House and sent them to the National Assembly. It bothers me. It is a matter of great concern that many of us, Senators, need to decide whether we can go to the Supreme Court for an advisory opinion like we did in 2013, when we found the going difficult. Of what use is it, for us to pass this well thought out piece of legislation, if we know that for the next two years, it will be gathering dust before the National Assembly? Madam Temporary Speaker, we have been receiving calls and being informed that Government business has stagnated in the Senate. We are told two, three or four Bills that are before us that we are properly applying our minds to. It is not even for any other reason that, for instance, the Roads Bill or any other Bill has not been considered by this House. It is because Senators have got genuine concerns, that we feel some of the provisions in those Bills are undermining devolution. If we do not apply our minds properly to it, we shall not be doing our work properly as Senators. You receive calls that you are not doing your work, yet before that very House that is raising all these complaints before us, we have ten to 15 to 32 legislations that have been passed. This is one of the legislations that we completed in the last Parliament. However, it is back before us. We will pass it, but I am not certain that justice will be done to it. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}