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{
    "id": 946527,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/946527/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 213,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orengo",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Minority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 129,
        "legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
        "slug": "james-orengo"
    },
    "content": " Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I stand to second this Motion. As has rightly been pointed out, the power to impeach is with the county assembly. The Senate has no role at all in the power to impeach, but the power as an impeachment court lies with the Senate. The trial actually takes places in the Senate. These two powers are divided between two constitutional bodies; the county assembly and the Senate. This is a demonstration that issues concerning impeachment are considered serious enough to the extent that constitutional bodies are the ones which are assigned to carry out this task. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, going by the record, I am happy to note that this power to impeach, particularly on the part of the Senate, has not been misused or abused. Where there has been a case to find fault and convict a subject before the Senate, be it a governor or otherwise, the Senate has acted very responsibly in all the cases which were cited. I therefore, hope that nobody will think that the county assembly having expressed itself in a certain direction, that the Senate willy-nilly will take a similar position. Impeachment process is an accountability tool and it must be understood to be so and it must be exercised. This is because the Constitution has offered to Parliament and the county assemblies, tools for purposes of accountability. Accountability sometimes cannot just end in declarations. It should be effective in the sense that these tools can be used to achieve certain results. Having said that, I want to point out that people out there may now think that this matter is before a different forum, which is not the Senate. They should rest at peace because until evidence is placed before the Senate or the Committee, we cannot make decisions on the basis of something we have read in the newspapers or social media. There must be a matter presented before the Senate, either constituted as a Committee or in the plenary to make that decision. Otherwise, some of these decisions could be made by the Speaker or the Clerk of the Senate without bringing them properly before the House or a Committee of the House. I just wanted to allay those fears that some people may be having, that in setting up the Committee a decision has been made in one way or the other. Therefore, in forming this Committee, I hope that the House understands that all of us are qualified to be Members of this Committee. In this instance, we could only have a certain number; that number will perform the initial task of dealing with this matter. If there is anything to be dealt with preliminarily or substantively, all those issues can be put before the Committee which will eventually report to the Senate. I just want to emphasize that these accountability measures are working in other countries very effectively. Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr., myself and others were in Brazil for a number of days. These accountability processes seem to be working well at the 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."
}