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{
    "id": 861436,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/861436/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 307,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Ochillo-Ayacko",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 347,
        "legal_name": "Ochilo George Mbogo Ayacko",
        "slug": "ochilo-ayacko"
    },
    "content": "Thank you very much Madam Temporary Speaker. I want to depart from the position of my colleagues and from the outset say that Sen. George Khaniri has been a friend of mine and continues to be a friend that I hold dear. We have a come a long way with him. We attended the same primary school and also served in Parliament for a considerably long period of time. So, my opposition to this Bill is not personal, but is from a very serious understanding and friendship with Sen. Khaniri. If you have been listening to what fellow Senators have been saying, they have been lamenting about the misconduct of the enforcement officers. The able Senator, who is also my very good friend and has just spoken before me, has cited instances where the enforcement officers bundle citizens of this country into vehicles and are manhandled. Sen. Wetangula has also mentioned several instances where county governors use enforcement officers as militia. My very good friend, the Senator for Nandi, has even complained that he has lost use of some important parts of his body because of the excesses of these people. Sen. Khaniri has very good intentions. He has brought a Bill that seeks to professionalise the enforcement of regulations. However, there is no safeguard for citizens who will encounter the misbehaviour of certain executives or leaders of counties. Take for instance the county I represent, which is Migori County. We have an informal militia called Sangwenya that is headed by the executives in my county. Those fellows called Sangwenya are responsible for enforcement of regulations made in the counties and have no regard for human rights whatsoever. In fact, without specifying what is going on at the national level, you know that some very senior leaders in my county are facing serious charges for violating the law. I do not know what the courts will adjudicate regarding this matter. If that is what is going on and we, as the Senate, are to legislate and give them authority to continue recruiting militia and people, when they, as the executives, are not mindful of the human rights of the residents that are charged with the responsibility of looking after, I believe that we will be abdicating our duty. When we were campaigning sometime last year, we had a very constitutional rally. It was our right to have a rally somewhere in Migori County. We invited the then Senator, who is now the governor in your county. We also invited the Senate Minority Leader and other Senators and a militia was brought by the same county government, and all of us nearly died. That is evidence of impunity that is a bound in counties where we come from. 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."
}