{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=152729","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=152727","results":[{"id":1545472,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545472/?format=json","text_counter":27,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Kingi","speaker_title":"The Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Have a seat, Sen. Gloria. That is not the apology as prescribed by the Senate in the report. Let me help you. The Senate sitting on 20th September, 2023, while considering the report by the Powers and Privileges Committee passed certain recommendations. One of those recommendations, which I believe was recommendation No.3, read as follows- “On resumption of the Senate Sitting for the Third Session, the Senator while at the Bar apologizes to the Senate, Hon. Senators, the Clerk of the Senate and the Secretariat of Parliament before being admitted to the Senate, pursuant to Section 173(c) of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, 2017, in the following manner.” So, the Senate came up with the wording of the apology. It is not open to you to craft or word your own apology. The Plenary worded the kind of apology that you are supposed to tender and it goes as follows- “I, Sen. Gloria Orwoba, hereby tender my unresolved apology to the Senate, Hon. Senators, Clerk of the Senate and the Secretariat of Parliament for having acted in a manner which pursuant to Section 16(e) and Paragraph Seven and Eight of the Fourth Schedule to the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, 2017, constituted a breach of parliamentary privilege and that reflected adversely on the dignity and integrity of Parliament and its Members, and was contrary to the best interests of Parliament and its members. I undertake that I shall abide by the responsibilities of leadership as set out in the Constitution, the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012 and the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, 2017, and, therefore, beseech to be admitted to the Chamber. I thank you.” This is the prescribed apology as adopted by the Plenary. It cannot be amended. It is only the Senate Plenary Sitting that can amend the wording. Therefore, Sen. Orwoba, proceed to read the apology as prescribed by the Plenary and by this Senate."},{"id":1545473,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545473/?format=json","text_counter":28,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Orwoba","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Mr. Speaker, Sir, I have apologized before and I have no problem reading a prescribed apology. I want to draw your attention that we have an ongoing court case. I have been advised that the prescribed apology in the wording that has been put is self-incriminating and undermines my right to a fair process with the current court proceedings. I have no problem apologizing to the House. I have apologized to the House. I continue to I apologize for my conduct. I continue to apologize to my colleagues that I am sorry for the ways that I offended them. I have no issues apologizing. Even now, I am apologizing. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1545474,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545474/?format=json","text_counter":29,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Orwoba","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"I brought this to your attention prior to this sitting that there is a sentence that is self-incriminating and can be used against me in an ongoing court process. I had kindly requested to give the apology as I have read it. I further tell my colleagues and this House that I continue to be sorry for the conduct that they perceived to be unbecoming. I do not know how else to appeal. As I stand here, I have sat out my suspension without pay. I have suffered the consequences of reporting issues and I continue to suffer those consequences. I am okay with that. However, I do not understand in whose interest it is for a prescribed apology with a self-incriminating sentence that puts me in an issue. Again, I appeal to my colleagues and this House, that I am sorry. I do not know how else to say I am sorry. I have said, I am sorry, before. I am saying, I am sorry, again."},{"id":1545475,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545475/?format=json","text_counter":30,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Loud consultations)"},{"id":1545476,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545476/?format=json","text_counter":31,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Kingi","speaker_title":"The Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" You cannot raise a point of order. The Senator is not properly admitted to the House. So you cannot raise a point of order against her. Sen. Gloria, let me help you. It is not up to the Speaker or the Chair to vary the apology. The apology was prescribed by the Senate sitting at a plenary. It is only the Plenary, sitting again, to reopen this matter and amend that particular apology. As it stands, it must be read as contained in the report. So, you either read this apology as prescribed or you think about it and come back any day, any time you would be willing to read it as prescribed. There are no two ways about it. By allowing the apology that you have read out, and basically usurping the powers of the Plenary, by amending a report that was passed and adopted by this Senate, I do not have those powers."},{"id":1545477,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545477/?format=json","text_counter":32,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Orwoba","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Mr. Speaker, Sir, I stand guided. As I said, I have no problem reading it. However, I have been advised, and I am not a legal expert, I have an ongoing court case, and I do not know what else is required from me."},{"id":1545478,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545478/?format=json","text_counter":33,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Kingi","speaker_title":"The Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Sen. Gloria, the Chair is speaking, and you know our Standing Orders. I have told you that there are only two ways; you either read as prescribed, walk in, and take your seat, or you do not read as prescribed and you walk out until such a time that you will be ready to read the apology as prescribed. Which way do you want to go?"},{"id":1545479,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545479/?format=json","text_counter":34,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Orwoba","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Mr. Speaker, Sir, having heard your advice and noting that by reading this apology, I will be incriminating myself, noting that this is attached to my work, I find that very unfair. I, therefore, stand by my dignity, and I stand by where I am. From where you have left me, I have no option, but to walk away from my duties because I cannot read an incriminating statement on a matter that has not been investigated. As it stands, I want to say that this being the last statement that I make, I continue to stand by my statements, and I want to say that it is truly unfair that an incriminating statement is being put in an apology, so that I can tie myself down to something that has not been investigated, not by the Parliamentary Service Commission, The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1545480,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545480/?format=json","text_counter":35,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Orwoba","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"not by this House, not by an independent organ. So, therefore, I have no option but to walk away from the Chamber as you have directed. Having said that, I would also want to inform this House that it is happening to me now, but it is going to happen to you in the future. I am not fighting any one, I am saying I reported a case, it has not been investigated, and the powers that be are influencing a process so that I can incriminate myself, and puncture myself in an ongoing court case. I find this very unfair, and this being the ‘Upper House’, I am disappointed. I am not going to trade a salary for something that has not been investigated. I can stay without the salary, I can stay without the position, and I still want to say it is unfair that someone who has reported a matter is being taken through this. I thank you."},{"id":1545481,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1545481/?format=json","text_counter":36,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Sen. Orwoba picked up her bag and left the Chamber)"}]}