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"id": 1537732,
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"speaker": null,
"content": "(Question proposed)"
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"id": 1537733,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
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"content": "I am seeing, hon. Senators from my dashboard, the hon. Sen. Olekina requesting to be allowed to contribute and is not in the House. I believe this must be Sen. Omogeni who has taken the seat of the Senate Minority Leader. I will, therefore, give you the first opportunity to contribute to this particular Bill."
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"id": 1537734,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Omogeni",
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"id": 13219,
"legal_name": "Erick Okong'o Mogeni",
"slug": "erick-okongo-mogeni"
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. Certainly, Sen. Olekina is not here. Maybe there is a technical hitch with the screen. I first begin by thanking Sen. Joyce Chepkoech Korir who is the sponsor of the County Library Services Bill (Senate Bills No.40 of 2024). From the onset say it is a good initiative that calls for the support of all of us. I recall that in the 1980s, because we were not so privileged to buy all the books that we needed in our studies, we used to benefit from libraries. Not all schools had libraries but some of us were lucky to have gone to schools that had libraries and we benefited immensely from those facilities. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I know there were also a few towns that had libraries. I was privileged to go to Mombasa in my last term in high school before I did my exams. In Mombasa, I benefited immensely from the library because you could get books that ordinarily one was not able to purchase. After all, it was not possible to have all the textbooks. The good textbooks in school were shared among many students. I do not know whether you are subjected to the pain that we went through while studying law at the University of Nairobi, Parklands campus. Some units only had two textbooks in the library. To access it, one had to go very early and wait at the door. When the librarian opened, one would rush to the first one, grab it and make sure that you spend the next two or three hours on it. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, Sen. Korir, this is a good initiative but I hope we can also tailor it with what is happening in technology because many people are also running away from being analogue. The younger generation, the Gen Zs are now more concerned with digital information. People in our offices, if one asks them immediately go to their phones and get the information there. You know, there is a thing they call ChatGPT. It has all the information. If you want any information, you go to ChatGPT; you will get it there. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and Audio Services,Senate."
},
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"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1537735/?format=api",
"text_counter": 233,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Omogeni",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13219,
"legal_name": "Erick Okong'o Mogeni",
"slug": "erick-okongo-mogeni"
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"content": "So let us also try to incorporate digitization and technology in this Bill so that maybe we expand our cable network to our counties. From counties, it goes to sub-counties so that people in Osamaru Ward, in West Mugirango Constituency in Nyamira can be connected to the internet and their children can do research from the phones. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, Sen. Korir, nowadays some children will be more passionate about getting a phone maybe more than spending time travelling to Kisii to get a library. They know that they can get all the information they need on the internet. Of course, in the era we are going to, Artificial Intelligence (AI) will play a big role. It is also good to see how we can address the issue of electronic libraries in our counties. Luckily, I have seen that in this Bill in Clause 7(b) (c) the sponsor has proposed that- Develop, equip, manage, and maintain libraries including electronic libraries in the county; and, promote technology in accessing and disseminating information”. I will lay a lot of emphasis on this one. If we need to connect with the Gen Zs, that will resonate with them. Secondly, I have had a problem in my counties with this idea of setting up so many boards. The moment you set up a board, ordinarily there will be a budgetary requirement. Look at the resources we send to our counties. We are already strained from the very meager resources that we send to our counties. Therefore, I do not know whether there is any meaningful purpose being served in creating the board as in Clause 2. Then, remember, we are just giving opportunities to our governors to select their friends or their supporters to serve on this board. Clause 5 says- “There is established a County Library Services Development Committee in each county."
},
{
"id": 1537736,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1537736/?format=api",
"text_counter": 234,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Omogeni",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13219,
"legal_name": "Erick Okong'o Mogeni",
"slug": "erick-okongo-mogeni"
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"content": "The committee shall consist of- (a) The county executive committee member responsible for library services who shall be the chairperson; (b) two persons who shall be distinguished academics appointed by the county governor; and, (c) two persons who have demonstrable knowledge in library and information science and at least five years' experience in the provision of library services appointed by the county governor.” Sen. Korir, you are proposing that two other persons who have demonstrated knowledge in library, again appointed by county governor. I mean, why should we allow governors to take the bragging rights of appointing all these board members when we have the County Public Service Board (CPSB)? If you want these appointments to be political, then we should have a selection panel consisting of all elected leaders. We want people being elected to serve impartially without looking at it as a political favour. I wish you can look at Clause 5, so that we do not give all powers of appointing to the governor. Think about the CPSB through a competitive process where applicants are invited. Alternatively, create a selection panel like the one of IEBC that steps in, does the The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and Audio Services,Senate."
},
{
"id": 1537737,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1537737/?format=api",
"text_counter": 235,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Omogeni",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13219,
"legal_name": "Erick Okong'o Mogeni",
"slug": "erick-okongo-mogeni"
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"content": "appointment and goes. You can be innovative; we can have the Women's Representative select one person to sit in the selection panel of the board, then have the office of Senator send one person to sit in the selection panel, the governor sends one, and then the chairperson can be the Chairperson of the CPSB, so that we have a process that is fair, distributive and that accommodates all the leaders within the county. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I am excited with what is in Clause 3(d), that we need to preserve our cultural heritage. I have tried to look for books that we read when I was in class one, two and three but they are nowhere. I tried to interest my children to get Kisii books to read but they are nowhere. If not for anything else, I support this Bill if it can be a basis of preserving our heritage. Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, I do not know whether in Kakamega, you have those Luhya books that were used in class one, two or three. They are nowhere. Fundamentally, we can have a collection of those books, so that our kids who want to connect with our culture and heritage can go to our libraries, read these books and sharpen their skills in our ethnic languages. I also hope these laws that we pass can be implemented in a manner that our people benefit. We have had a long debate in this House on the health laws that we passed, but if we were to be sincere, our people are suffering because of these health laws of The Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) and Social Health Authority (SHA). Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I have cases in my county and I can table. I have that evidence with me, where people go to hospital and they incur a bill of up to Kshs287,000. They are then told SHA or SHIF will only cover Kshs23,000. I mean, it is worse than the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). We must be sympathetic to our people. We know the people we represent here. We were told that the moment those laws will start being implemented, we will not be called to contribute for people who have been taken to hospitals and they are unable to pay bills. However, as I speak today, I have a text message forwarding a statement from a hospital of a Kenyan who is unable to get value from the SHIF card. They go to hospital and they are told the SHIF card is not acceptable in certain facilities. On faith-based hospitals; in Bomet, you have Tenwek. It is one of the best. I do not think there is any county hospital that can compete with the Tenwek Hospital. Do you know that many patients are being turned away from Tenwek Hospital? The only allocation you have for this SHIF card in a hospital if you land in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is Kshs4,000 and there is no hospital that will charge you Kshs4000 for an ICU bed. It is more; it is about Kshs16,000. We must do something. If it is not working, let us repeal the law and do something that is beneficial to our people. Let us be very careful as we pass this Bill. We need to ensure that we are not putting our people into a trap. If we continue this way, we will be sending a signal to Kenyans that this law was passed to allow the Government to harvest the souls of Kenyans. If Kenyans are being chased from hospitals and the SHIF card is not being accepted in hospitals, then why did we pass the law? Did we pass it so that as many Kenyans as possible can die? I mean, we have to be sincere. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and Audio Services,Senate."
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"id": 1537738,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Omogeni",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13219,
"legal_name": "Erick Okong'o Mogeni",
"slug": "erick-okongo-mogeni"
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we are the people's representatives in this House. Nobody can speak for all the residents of the county of Bomet, Laikipia, Kakamega or Nyamira. Since these things have been brought to our attention, we must address them. I am sorry to digress a bit, but I support Sen. Korir on this Bill. I also want to say something. Maybe you can consider what is in Clause 9(2). I am not seeing clarity there. The clause says, that before the removal of a member under sub-clause 1 (f), the county governor shall request the committee to give a statement. Instead of saying that the committee will give a statement, I think what we should say is, before removing a member, there should be a fair hearing process of their removal, so that they are given notice of intention to remove them, they are given a fair hearing, and then a decision is made. Let us not have that statement that is fairly ambiguous, that says that the governor will just request for a statement. What kind of statement? They should actually ask for minutes confirming that due process has been invoked and that these people are given a fair hearing before they are removed from office. Other than that, I think this is a good Bill. It is very progressive, beneficial to our children, as long as we incorporate issues of making it more digital and not analog. We are proposing this Bill to be enacted into law to benefit our Gen Z who are more digital than analog. With those many remarks, I support."
},
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"text_counter": 237,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Sen. Omogeni. Being a seasoned Member of this House, the Chair had to restrain himself when you digressed, with regard to the relevance of your contributions, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order No.120. Nonetheless, you noted. It is all right as the Chair is yet to allow you to speak. Secondly, I wanted to inform you that being an alumnus of the University of Nairobi, I equally had the experience that you had with regards to the availability of research books and those other very critical books to specific areas of interest. We had to queue for us to get an opportunity to read and research on those books. This is one such Bill that I believe will guide and avail the relevant books, not only at our county level but across the larger Kenya. Hon. Members, before I allow the rest of the Senators who are keen to contribute, I will interrupt the debate on this Bill and allow the Majority Whip, Sen. (Dr.) Boni Khalwale, to table a report and give Notice of moving the Motion on that particular report tomorrow. Sen. (Dr.) Boni Khalwale, proceed to table your report. Give him the microphone."
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"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Interruption of debate on the Bill)"
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"type": "heading",
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"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "PAPERS LAID"
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