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{
    "id": 858514,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/858514/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 56,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I was following the debate as I was coming here. This is a matter that is dear to my heart because I was the first Chairperson of the Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations. I want to add my voice on the whether or not we can discuss or even call into question decisions of county assemblies. In my reading of Standing Order No. 96(5), there is a difference between decisions that have been rendered by county assemblies and decisions or deliberations that are still pending in the county assemblies. Interpretation of Standing Order No.96(5) must be in consonance with Article 96 of the Constitution which gives us the responsibility to oversight counties and county governments. Since the Constitution is supreme, we must always call into question decisions of the county governments whether it is the executive or the assembly. We oversight county assemblies, hence my reading of Article 96 of the Constitution harmonized with Standing Order No.96(5) would mean that we should hold our horses if something is pending in the county assemblies. But once a decision has been rendered in the county assemblies, it is the responsibility of the Senate to call into question or to intervene. Secondly, the Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations would be abdicating their responsibility of leadership if they are to wait for chaos to get to a point where it cannot be handled for them to make a decision as to whether to intervene or not. When I was the Chairperson, we summoned Isiolo County Assembly and Isiolo County Executive who all came. We started the process of mediation and found an amicable solution. We must allow our Committee to use that latitude. I also brought the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and county assemblies together. It is not written in the text that we can intervene in such situations but such is the unwritten norms that we can establish to ensure that the jurisdiction of this House is not curtailed in finding a solution as an institution of leadership in the country. I stand with the Committee, and we must allow the Committee to proceed in widening the mandate of the Senate and providing leadership where we are needed."
}