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{
    "id": 993055,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/993055/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 26,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr.",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13156,
        "legal_name": "Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
        "slug": "mutula-kilonzo-jnr"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, thank you for your direction. I agree entirely with Sen. Khaniri on the wisdom of it. Secondly, for some reason, our meetings have many Members attending virtually. The Committee on the COVID-19 Situation in Kenya has had many sittings as above 40 or 45. The Members are participating from whatever location. The silver lining behind COVID-19 is that we have refused to embrace technology. In the Judiciary, those who have been there would find that the former Registrar, Hon. Gladys Shollei, installed screens and technology that has never been used for a long time. Even in one of your committee rooms, there is a screen that is never used. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as the Committee on Information Communication Technology (ICT) of the Senate then led by Sen. Mutahi Kagwe, and I was Vice Chairperson, we proposed these things a long time ago. It is important. If governments can run virtually, then people do not need to have physical meetings. It is the end of traffic jams. We can hold two or three sittings from one location, so that business can run. I still have another proposal. Last week, when we sat at the Bomas of Kenya, we realized that we can actually have a full sitting of the Senate while observing social distance. One of the problems we have as whips is choosing Members who sit here every day. I have a problem of dispute resolution amongst my Members because it is a challenge of choosing 13 people to come, yet a Member has been chosen by his people to come here to speak about important and pertinent issues. Mr. Speaker, Sir, when I tell somebody to wait for their opportunity next week, some of them have told us that we are discriminating them. It is not just our side. In fact, maybe our side of the Minority is better. The Majority side was actually worse. I remember Sen. (Dr.) Ali complaining loudly in one of our platforms. The amendment of the Standing Orders is important. There will be no excuse for Members not to attend meetings. There will be no excuse to make sure that we run our business as quickly as possible. In fact, it is an anathema to have an iPad sitting here and leave it here. The idea of having technology is to carry it to where you are. I should stop my car, like I did yesterday, and we conduct a meeting using this same iPad that you have installed in the Senate. 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."
}