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{
    "id": 904716,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/904716/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 248,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Pareno",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13180,
        "legal_name": "Judith Ramaita Pareno",
        "slug": "judith-ramaita-pareno"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Sen. Sakaja mentioned that we should ensure in this Bill, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) should not be an appendage to any department of Government. This has also been emphasized by Sen. Orengo indicating that we should provide for the independence of this commission if we mean serious business in as far as our cohesion and integration matters are concerned. That is very good contribution. Initially, as l made my remarks, I noted that there is a directorate on national values and principles that is at the President‘s Office, dealing with cohesion matters, yet we have NCIC. I am asking the President under whose office this directorate falls, to let it be independent. If we care about building bridges in this country, how we can integrate and how cohesive we are going to be as a country, then we should let this commission do its work and ensure that the duties that have been bestowed to that directorate are handled by the NCIC. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there was the issue of the budget which Sen. Orengo mentioned; how much resources we are putting aside for them to be able to do this job. We initially had also noted as we deliberate on this Bill, that, that directorate at the Office of the President is getting more funding than the NCIC. Why have a commission that is meant to bring integration in this country, bring us together, end the conflicts that we have and ensure that we live harmoniously and yet you do not have a budget for it? Why should we create directorate in the Office of the President that has a budget? That is why in this Bill, we want to have a proper coordinated effort to ensure that there is integration and cohesion in this country, without having to place it in some directorate and yet the NCIC is in existence. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Sen. Sakaja also submitted that we should look at how, in the funding that is allocated for cohesion matters, we should empower and ensure that the peace committees also have funding for them to be able to operate. Since these peace committees are in the counties, let us devolve some of these services to the counties and have branches that deal with cohesion matters. We should also have funding for the committees that will be operating right on the ground where the people are. Sen. (Dr.) Zani talked about the effectiveness of the already existing commission as it is established. Sen. Orengo also brought it up. In his submissions, he actually said that this commission as established has failed. We now have a Bill that will try and make the commission effective. This is a commission which will do its job independent of other people and departments. Its effectiveness is an issue that we need to look at; if they have not performed, why have they not performed? What has hindered their effective performance? This Bill seeks to bring all these issues together to ensure that we have an effective commission. Sen. Seneta made a very good contribution. She said that we should ensure that there is inclusion of county governments‘ nominees in the commission. We take into consideration the interests of the counties as a Senate, and therefore, including a nominee 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."
}