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"id": 835267,
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"speaker_name": "Sen. Pareno",
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"legal_name": "Judith Ramaita Pareno",
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"content": "communication by the people to the county assemblies. They will be able to pick up the grievances and even direct how they will be dealt with. It, therefore, provides a direct link for purposes of communication. Madam Temporary Speaker, apart from this Bill providing for the procedures, it will also make us relevant, as the Senate. This Senate is here to protect county assemblies and the interest of the people who live in those counties. If we were to receive as many petitions as we are receiving now, how many relevant questions have we raised, because they arise from the same petitions? In fact, receiving these petitions gives us a lot of Business. Similarly for the county assemblies, by receiving petitions, they will have work; they will listen to the concerns of the people; they will sort them out and give a way forward. Moreover, they would have raised questions, statements and motions out of those petitions and grievances by the people. Petitions are actually one way for us to realize our mandate, because we will be able to sort out the issues of the counties. They are also one way through which the people can bring their problems to the county assemblies. Madam Temporary Speaker, the provision that provides for the processes indicates as follows. It gives guidance as to how a citizen may bring the issues forth to the assembly. It guides them not to go overboard by providing a simple but effective way to communicate to the county assemblies. It actually provides what the parameters for the exercise of this right are; to whom the petition should be submitted; and the content that is admissible and inadmissible. We all know that we cannot allow petitions that are out to malign or are malicious, and which may cause conflicts. Therefore, the content of the petition will be checked to confirm whether it is admissible or not. This will guide citizens on the content they are expected to include in the petition they will be presenting; it must be in civil language, and it must be in this form. In addition, Madam Temporary Speaker, this Bill also provides what a county assembly is expected to do with the petition. This is so that when citizens present their petition, they then know what the next step to be taken by the county assembly will be. That way, they do not just give a petition, go home and they do not know the way forward. This Bill seeks to gives them that guidance so that they know how to access the information they are seeking; or how their problem has been addressed. It also helps them to know when to expect feedback so that when they present a petition, they then know that they should expect feedback within 60 days. That way, it does not become an exercise in vain. Therefore, this Bill gives us proper guidance on how to receive and process petitions. In addition, it gives us the guidance on how to process that right of the citizens to give petitions, to access information and to question what we do. Madam Temporary Speaker, when a petition is presented, like we have done in the Senate, there is some sort of recommendation or resolution to the problem at the end of the day. At the end of the day, we will have a way to enforce what we are petitioned for. Most of the time, we will have a recommendation, which is enforceable, with regard to what the petitioner is asking for. It can be followed and traced. There is a way we will 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."
}