Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 843207,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/843207/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 182,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I support this Motion on the inclusion of my good neighbour and friend, Sen. Fred Outa, into the Committee on Health. This is so especially with the very glowing credentials about him that have been given by his Chair from the other Committee that he is serving in. The time has come for us, as Senators, to properly consider what our gifts, strengths and passions are, especially in matters Committee. If you find that you are placed in a Committee where your faculties do not serve you extremely well and you are in an area where you are limited in terms of knowledge and skills, I think there is no harm in approaching your side of the House leadership and requesting to be moved to other Committees where you can serve more diligently and give your best skills. Madam Temporary Speaker, I agree with my colleagues who have spoken. I know by doing this I run the risk of falling afoul with the Senate Majority Leader on the earlier - I do not know if it was an instruction or suggestion he gave - that we should be careful when discussing the conduct of other colleagues. However, I agree to a great extent with what Sen. Mwaura was pushing; that our Committee on Health needs to be more visible. A classic example is when there were issues in many of our hospitals, including Kenyatta National Referral Hospital. We saw the zeal and energy with which Members of the Committee on Health of the National Assembly visited that hospital. Of course, the Senator for Nairobi City County was also there with them. Visibility gives you credibility. If you are not there, nobody will appreciate that you exist. That is why the Ministry of Health can dare plan functions that are purely health-related and not invite the Senate, because they do not see the Committee anywhere. Madam Temporary Speaker, I, therefore, challenge my colleagues, and this is purely on a friendly basis. I am not saying that you have failed in your duties. However, increase your visibility as a Committee. You will remember very well that when we were tabling the Division of Revenue Bill here, together with County Allocation of Revenue Bill, there were concerns raised by Members of the Committee on Finance and Budget about large scale procurement that is being done by Government year in, year out, yet Committees of the Senate do not take time to investigate what is open and blatant theft of public resources. A good example is the CT scan machines that are now being installed in our public hospitals. It cannot be that the amount it takes to buy the machine is equal to the amount it takes to train people who will run them. If you go to the budget of the Financial Year 2018/ 2019 that is what the Ministry of Health has done, yet our Committee on Health has not addressed itself to the particular issue. 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."
}