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"id": 994465,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Ugenya, MDG",
"speaker_title": "Hon. David Ochieng’",
"speaker": {
"id": 2955,
"legal_name": "David Ouma Ochieng'",
"slug": "david-ouma-ochieng"
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"content": "The Leader of the Majority Party in this House alleged that I went to his office and begged for a committee position from him. There is a procedure in this House for nominating and assigning Members Committees. This procedure is captured under Standing Order Nos.172 to 176. No Member of Parliament, be it the Leader of the Majority Party or the Leader of the Minority Party, can allocate another Member a Committee. It is a process that culminates in approval by this House. In fact, if COVID-19 isolation allowed you to be in a Committee, that must be approved by this House. I have always believed that my membership in the Departmental Committee on Health was through appointment by this House. It was not through individuals. At least, it was not through begging. If my belonging to the Departmental Committee on Health is because of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party or anybody donating the slot me, then I reject it. I do not want it. I do not deserve it. This is because this House has rules. As regards small parties, Standing Order No.174 (2) says that a Member belonging to a party other than a parliamentary party or Independent Member may be nominated to serve in a select committee and the allocation of membership of select committees shall be as nearly as is practicable proportional to the number of Members belonging to such parties and Independent Members. Hon. Speaker, Standing Orders No.174 (2) basically breathes life into the Standing Orders what the Constitution says. Article 10 of the Constitution is very clear about governance principles, our values, inclusivity, equity, equality, non-discrimination and taking care of marginalised groups. That is what Standing Order No.172 (2) provides. There are 200 constituencies in this country, and they are all equal. We know why the Committees are there. All of us know that most of the work that Parliament does happens in the Committees. Is it possible for the Minority side to say that because that is one Member of Parliament from a region where we control, he cannot be a Member of a Committee unless he talks to us? It would mean that next time Hon. Junet will tell me where to sit in this House because I am a minority. History is very important. When you are born in a rich family and you are told that your father used to ride a bicycle, you might not believe. Around 1996/1997, a man we respect so much, the enigma “ Baba ”, was the only Member of the National Development Party in this House, but he was a Member of a Committee. Following the general elections in 1997, he came back with more than 20 Members in his party. So, I want to say that we should be aware of what we wish for. I could be the only one in my party today, but you never know what will happen tomorrow. It could go to the MDG party. How did I end up in the Departmental Committee on Health? Hon. Speaker, following the by-election last year, I came to your office to inquire on how one can get into a Committee. After consultations with you and the Leader of the Majority Party, we agreed that because it would be untidy at that point in time to open up all Committee memberships, I would replace the Member that I replaced in my constituency in the Health Committee. This was not an ordination by any party but rather pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order No.174 (2). The question then begs: Can the Minority Party, to which I do not belong, purport to discharge me from the Departmental Committee on Health? My party, MDG, has never signed a coalition agreement with NASA. We do not affiliate with them. For the last one year I have been in this House, I have never seen the Minority Whip or the Leader of the Minority Party come to where I sit to try and whip or tell me what to do because they know that I do not belong to their party. I understand that at this point in time, it is appropriate for them to link me with the Deputy President, Hon.William Ruto. It is something I have done during the campaigns in Ugenya so many times. They can do that in the public domain but they The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}