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{
    "id": 859394,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/859394/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 297,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kiminini, FORD-K",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) Chris Wamalwa",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1889,
        "legal_name": "Chrisantus Wamalwa Wakhungu",
        "slug": "chrisantus-wamalwa-wakhungu"
    },
    "content": "The moment commissioners are appointed they become rogue and forget the interests of the parliamentarians. We have been complaining severally, but the moment they go there they keep quiet. Some of them go there to take care of their own interests. We are not going to allow this. If this Floor brought you as a commissioner, it can as well remove you. When you look at our Standing Orders, it is very clear. You can be removed through a vote of no confidence. At the Committee of the whole House I am going to propose an amendment that, if you are a commissioner through Parliament, you should be removed by a vote of no confidence. We cannot be taken for granted. When you look at Article 127 of the Constitution, it says how the composition of the leadership of the Parliamentary Service Commission should be. It clearly states that the Speaker of the National Assembly shall be the Chairman. It goes further to say that the Clerk of the Senate is the Secretary of the Parliamentary Service Commission. Some of us have our reservations about the amendment they are bringing on the Floor, particularly on Article 127. We cannot legislate to target individuals. We are legislating for posterity. Article 93 of the Constitution is clear: It talks of Parliament having two Houses - the National Assembly and the Senate. So, it goes without saying that if the Chairman of the Parliamentary Service Commission is from the National Assembly, obviously, the Secretary is the Clerk of the Senate who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Parliament, as we talk. We cannot say we have joint services and we must create another office. We are creating that office for whom? We want accountability. In line with other independent commissions where there is consistency, the Secretary of the Commission is the automatic CEO of that particularly entity. So, I am not convinced with that provision that has been brought. We cannot legislate because we are targeting a few issues here. We cannot legislate because someone wants to be the Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) holder to target some procurement process in this Parliament. That one is not allowed. You do not become a commissioner to go and enrich yourself. We are saying no. We want consistency and Parliament is not going to be an exception. The Clerk of the Senate shall remain the Secretary to the Parliamentary Service Commission and more importantly will be the CEO. As such, he is the accounting officer, AIE holder and is in charge of all joint services. This is a House of debate and tradition. This is how Parliament has been. Why is it that all of a sudden we want to bring a piece of legislation and you say here it will only be one or two terms just like others, yet we have seen Parliament is unique? That is why you see commissioners come from outside and others are elected Members of Parliament. So, some of us are uncomfortable. We are not convinced at all because in this Parliament, some people have interests. They have their own targets. They know what they want and we are saying no. The accounting officer remains the Clerk. This Bill, much as it does not involve the issues of counties, must go to the Senate. This Bill must go to the Senate and I am saying that because under Article 93, when you talk of Parliament, you are talking about the National Assembly and the Senate. So, it goes without saying that the Senate must have a say in this Bill. We are going to protest if this Bill will not go to the Senate. Senators, wherever they are, must stand up to be counted. This Bill must go to the The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}