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{
    "id": 916549,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/916549/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 109,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orengo",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Minority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 129,
        "legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
        "slug": "james-orengo"
    },
    "content": "Constitution itself, the National Assembly has no capacity to make any law under the Constitution of Kenya. Laws in Kenya are made by Parliament. That is why it is important that in every Bill – leave alone the Division of Revenue Bill – that they must seek the concurrence of the Speaker of the Senate. That is the only route under which you can have an enactment that becomes the law of Kenya. There are arguments which have been brought out in the National Assembly. For example, they are saying that we cannot summon Cabinet Secretaries (CSs). Sen. Murkomen talked about the general section - Article 125 - which allows us to summon everybody. However, when it comes to CSs under Article 153(3), it says that Cabinet Secretaries shall present themselves both to the National Assembly and the Senate when they are required. There is no distinction. All CSs are required to appear before the Senate when they are required. If there is anybody who is in doubt, read that particular section. Each CS is actually supposed to give quarterly reports not just to the National Assembly but also to the Senate. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I urge the leadership in the National Assembly to read the Constitution holistically. The Constitution is not supposed to be read like some people who read the Bible and can only memorize one verse. I remind them that if you want to apply the Constitution properly, understand it from Article 1 to the last, then you will know how to apply it. If you read the provisions that deal with national security, the appointment of the Inspector-General, the reporting under the security organs of the State, the central place of the Senate is not recognised because this Constitution wants a devolved system of Government. Therefore, the Division of Revenue Bill which has not been enacted with the concurrence of the Senate – the mediation Committee having not agreed – cannot create a basis for unilateral enactment of an Appropriations Act. In the United States of America (USA), we see quite often, the entire Federal Government is sent off because Parliament has not passed an Appropriations Act. The whole Government goes in respect of the Constitution. Here, we pass an Appropriations Act which is contrary to the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act and we are supposed just to laugh. I advise my friends in the other House; we have seen many people talk the way they are talking for many years. The person who said power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely is damn right because the language they are speaking is that of autocrats and not democrats who know why parliaments are established."
}