{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=147661","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=147659","results":[{"id":1494792,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1494792/?format=json","text_counter":25,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Wambua","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13199,"legal_name":"Enoch Kiio Wambua","slug":"enoch-kiio-wambua"},"content":"Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. We have said before that we do not want to turn ourselves into a House of lamentations, especially when dealing with 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":1494793,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1494793/?format=json","text_counter":26,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Wambua","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13199,"legal_name":"Enoch Kiio Wambua","slug":"enoch-kiio-wambua"},"content":"wayward cabinet secretaries who have continued to show utter disrespect to the authority of this House. For the Cabinet Secretary in charge of matters of health to communicate to your office this morning that she will not be appearing before the Senate when she is expected to be here at 10.00 a.m. is the newest level of contempt. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am alive to the happenings of last evening where the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Social Health Authority (SHA) was suspended. The reasons given for it is professional misconduct. I do not know whether there are any provisions in law for the suspension of Cabinet Secretaries for either professional or political misconduct, but this one must go to the highest office in the land. When Senators come to the Chamber every Wednesday morning, the express reason for their appearance is to ask questions for and on behalf of the counties that they represent. Those questions are supposed to be responded to by cabinet secretaries. It is now becoming a trend. I said this two weeks ago, that for two Wednesdays in a row, we were unable to transact the Wednesday morning sessions because cabinet secretaries were not available. We went on a break and came back. The first Wednesday after the break, the cabinet secretaries do not show up and what are we expected to do? Just lament, express our displeasure and wait for another Wednesday. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, things must happen and those things must begin to happen now. All of us were in this House a couple of weeks ago during the impeachment of the Deputy President. This House received a report that the then Deputy President was indisposed, but in the wisdom of this House, we continued with the process of impeachment. We, therefore, have to continue with our sessions and interrogation on the Ministry of Health, even in the face of reports that the Cabinet Secretary is indisposed. I have heard Sen. Chute say that perhaps we need to bring a Motion of censure against the Cabinet Secretaries. Maybe, that is not enough and the starting point would be to have a serious and candid conversation with the appointing authority of the Cabinet Secretaries. With that, we will get to know whether or not these sessions make sense to the Government. The reason for these sessions, as I said, are exclusively to have an engagement with Cabinet Secretaries for and on behalf of our constituents. If you look at the Order Paper for every Wednesday morning, there is no provision for any another business, but questions to Cabinet Secretaries. Perhaps, we should disband the Wednesday morning sittings if they cannot appear. I am speaking for myself. This morning, I was supposed to be doing homework with my son, but I had to leave him to come engage with the Cabinet Secretaries. Now, I have missed out on doing homework with my son and missing out on engagement with Cabinet Secretaries. For me, it is a wasted morning. Each Senator here will have a story to say about what they were supposed to be doing. This is a bipartisan issue and it has got nothing to do with the political alignment of anyone. These Cabinet Secretaries who are the face of the President are giving this Government a very bad name. That is what it is. I mean, you cannot be invited to come to 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":1494794,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1494794/?format=json","text_counter":27,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Wambua","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13199,"legal_name":"Enoch Kiio Wambua","slug":"enoch-kiio-wambua"},"content":"the Senate, and in the morning of the day that you are supposed to appear is when you write a letter to the Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if I were you, which I thank God that I am not, I would write the initial RTS, which means Return to Sender on that letter. It is a letter that should not even be read before the Senate. It is contempt. With those remarks, I am at a loss as to whether we continue with these morning sessions on Wednesday or free Senators to engage in other activities, which would also be more beneficial, perhaps, to their families and to the people that they represent. It is better than to come sit here and wait for Cabinet Secretaries who have no respect at all for the Senate. I submit."},{"id":1494795,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1494795/?format=json","text_counter":28,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Kathuri","speaker_title":"The Deputy Speaker","speaker":{"id":13590,"legal_name":"Murungi Kathuri","slug":"murungi-kathuri"},"content":" Proceed, Sen. Esther Okenyuri."},{"id":1494796,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1494796/?format=json","text_counter":29,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Okenyuri","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for this opportunity. I equally wish to join my colleague Senators in expressing my displeasure in the failure by the Cabinet Secretaries to appear in this House, which has the mandate of the people. This is one of the reasons I want to side with the President when he says that he is a lonely voice in Government. The Cabinet Secretaries have a chance to add voice to what the Government is doing in serving Kenyans. Unfortunately, we see a Cabinet Secretary tendering a very casual letter to Members, yet there is a very critical issue that was to be addressed this morning. There is the issue of polio vaccines and the allegations of children who have suffered adverse effects. I expected the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Health to address and shed light on those matters. Tuberculosis (TB) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are very critical issues that we, as a House, ventilate on, question on and get highlights on what the Government is doing. It is sad that when offered such a platform, our Cabinet Secretaries tend to prioritize other matters than life and death decisions that we, as a House, have to make. As a young legislator, I must say it is very disheartening. These are people who should lead by example. However, this is what they are showing the young people, women of this country and very many other special interest groups that we represent. It is sad and I do not wish that Members keep lamenting over this issue. There is a clear-cut line on why Parliament acts as a separate arm of Government. The cabinet secretaries need to prioritize the business of Parliament because it has the mandate of the people. I am very disappointed this morning that critical matters that were to be raised by different Senators will not be addressed, yet time goes by because the clock is slowly ticking. This should not be a joke like any other. A serious discussion needs to happen around this because it has now become a norm for cabinet secretaries not to show up. Time elapses before one even gets a solution to what they raised. If it were patients, you would even have lost them before they get a redress on their matters. Thank you."},{"id":1494797,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1494797/?format=json","text_counter":30,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Kathuri","speaker_title":"The Deputy Speaker","speaker":{"id":13590,"legal_name":"Murungi Kathuri","slug":"murungi-kathuri"},"content":" Proceed, Sen. Maanzo Daniel."},{"id":1494798,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1494798/?format=json","text_counter":31,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Maanzo","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13589,"legal_name":"Maanzo Daniel Kitonga","slug":"maanzo-daniel-kitonga"},"content":"Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. This morning, we were ready to deal with the question of health. There are many issues and questions relating to 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":1494799,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1494799/?format=json","text_counter":32,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Maanzo","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13589,"legal_name":"Maanzo Daniel Kitonga","slug":"maanzo-daniel-kitonga"},"content":"Ministry of Health. There are questions on SHA and Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). We also have questions relating to the 1998 American bombing victims, where we had earlier on asked the Ministry of Health to provide specialized medical health care to these particular persons. Before I came to the House, I met a constituent of Makueni County who shouted frantically at the gate that he needs help from me. He said that his child is stuck in hospital and he has been denied access because of SHA and SHIF, yet he had paid. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, these are the issues we wanted the Cabinet Secretary for Health to elaborate on. If we allow all cabinet secretaries to say that they have gotten ill every morning of Wednesday and no one ever comes to answer questions here, the country will suffer. We all understand that one can get sick or fall ill any time, although this House rejected it at the time of impeachment of the former Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua. It is something courts usually allow, but it is important that we have quite a number of cabinet secretaries. If one is taken ill, the others should appear because Wednesdays is our day with them. Even their boss, the President, knows that we have set aside Wednesday for this. That is why on this particular day, there is never an engagement of the Cabinet with the President, unless it is extremely urgent. Cabinet Secretaries should take Parliament seriously. They are the image of the Government. On this particular matter, they have failed the Government terribly and something must be done. Either one resigns if they are unable to handle the business as a cabinet secretary or, as Sen. Chute has said, we take action as a House to discuss the conduct of this particular Cabinet Secretaries. I thank you. I beg to say that it is important that the Cabinet takes this House seriously."},{"id":1494800,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1494800/?format=json","text_counter":33,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Kathuri","speaker_title":"The Deputy Speaker","speaker":{"id":13590,"legal_name":"Murungi Kathuri","slug":"murungi-kathuri"},"content":" Proceed, Sen. David Wakoli. Senators, let us take two minutes because we might lament the whole morning."},{"id":1494801,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1494801/?format=json","text_counter":34,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Wafula","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":348,"legal_name":"Davis Wafula Nakitare","slug":"davis-nakitare"},"content":"Asante, Mhe. Naibu Spika kwa kunipa nafasi hii angalau kutaja machache kuhusu mchecheto mzima wa mawaziri kukosa kuja hapa kujieleza kwa mapana na marefu. Bibilia inasema kwamba, Yesu alipokuwa anatembea na wafuasi wake, walimuona mwamamke mmoja wakamuita mzinzi na wakataka kumpiga mawe. Yesu kwa busara wake akawauliza ni nani miongoni mwao hana dhambi? Akawaambia yule asiye na dhambi atupe jiwe wa kwanza. Wengi walifyata midomo, wakaweka mikia katikati ya miguu na hatimaye wakamuacha binti huyo aliyekuwa anafanya biashara zake. Mhe. Naibu Spika, hakuna mtu duniani humu hana dosari ama makosa. Kuteleza sio kuanguka. Jumba la Seneti lina haki kikatiba kuwasikiza na wao kutupa majibu kuhusu changamoto zinazowakumba wakenya. Ni dhahiri shahiri kwamba mfumo wa afya una changamoto. Tumeona viongozi wa madaktari wakitoa ilani. Hayo yote tunakubali. Tunachotarajia ni kwamba Waziri wa Afya na yule mwenzake waje kwa Jumba la Seneti tujadili kwa pamoja na tutafute njia mbadala za kutatua changamoto hizi. Waziri wa Afya na mwenzake wako na nafasi ya kujieleza kwa sababu ni wataalamu wa mda mrefu. Wanaweza kutuma arafa ama watueleze siku ambayo watakuwa tayari wiki ijayo ili kazi tulionayo Seneti iweze kusonga kwa kasi. Sitaki kuwa yule mfuasi wa kutupa mawe katika kundi la wale wakristo waliotaka uponyaji. Naomba Seneti iwape 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."}]}