Ababu Namwamba

All parliamentary appearances

Entries 1891 to 1900 of 1923.

• 7 May 2008 in National Assembly: Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I beg to move the following Motion:- THAT, appreciating the critical role of the Official Opposition in Kenya's progression as an emergent democracy, and further recognizing the unique circumstances that have beget the Grand Coalition Government and the probability of similar circumstances arising in the future; this House grants leave to introduce a Bill for an Act of Parliament entitled "The Official Opposition Bill" to anchor, govern and regulate the Opposition in Parliament. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the objective of this Motion is to open the way for the enactment of what, if passed, would become ... view
• 7 May 2008 in National Assembly: Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the third imperative is that of satisfying public expectation. The public has very high expectation of the Tenth Parliament. They have expectations to see a new Constitution emerge out of this Chamber. They have expectations to see far-reaching statutory, institutional and policy reforms enacted by this House. These expectations will only be fulfilled if the left hand side of the Speaker functions as effectively as the right hand side. These reforms can only be pursued and achieved if this House is balanced in its operations. That balance can only come if we have a formal Official ... view
• 7 May 2008 in National Assembly: I tell this House that it can choose to be that Parliament that refused to think inside the box. It became that Parliament that decided you can have Opposition homogeneity, as we have had before, or you can also have Opposition heterogeneity; just as we have had Government homogeneity, with a single party ruling this country, and today we have Government heterogeneity. What is good for the Government is also good for the Opposition. view
• 7 May 2008 in National Assembly: Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, as I move this Motion I am very aware that there are May 7, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 889 certain underlying fears and apprehensions that I have already made reference to. There is the suspicion and fear that this Motion is founded on political vengeance. There is suspicion and fear that hon. Members are seeking the establishment of this institution because they missed out on Cabinet appointments. That is not only an insult to the integrity of hon. Members sitting on your left hand side, but it also is also a very myopic view. I do not ... view
• 7 May 2008 in National Assembly: There is also the fear that this amounts to a political coup. I want to assuage this fear. There is no attempted political coup. We are motivated by the public good. Many fear that this is going to amount to another political party. No, this is not the formation of another political party. It is a seed to plant a new dispensation that will introduce parliamentarism in its purest form, where this House functions and operates effectively. There is also the fear of the unknown. People are imagining how they are going to deal with an "animal" they have never ... view
• 7 May 2008 in National Assembly: Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I have looked at many examples across the world. Two things come to my mind. One is that there are very few nations that have had a challenge like we have here. The first is Sri Lanka. Before the reign of Prime Minister Bandaranaike, Sri Lanka established the tradition of Opposition heterogeneity. This is where they had a multi-collection of parties and individuals, marxists, communists, conservatives, all gelled into one with the sole purpose of checking the Government. The Government, and I hope this Government is not going to do the same, fought the Opposition until ... view
• 7 May 2008 in National Assembly: Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, let me thank the Minister for her very pragmatic position, even though I would beg to disagree with her on the question of interpreting the National Accord and Reconciliation Act. I think anything that is either expressly or imputed in a law is subject to interpretation. However, all the interpretational issues will arise when we come to the details of the Bill. For now, let us admit that the Opposition cannot operate unless it is properly tunnelled. Nothing can, really operate unless it is properly focused. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, Harry Emerson said: "No horse ever ... view
• 6 May 2008 in National Assembly: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, Sir. Is it in order for the Assistant Minister to deliberately mislead this House and answer this Question so casually? He even misleads this House to the extent that he says that inquests are being conducted while at the same time he tells this House that the police acted within the confines of the law! What is the purpose of an inquest if the Assistant Minister has already determined that the police, by killing in excess of May 6, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 829 83 innocent people, acted within the confines of the law? ... view
• 6 May 2008 in National Assembly: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I wish to request for a Ministerial Statement from the Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs to explain the following:- First, what is the official position of the Government on the integrity and probity of the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) as currently constituted in view of the disputed December, 2007 polls whose inept handling by the said ECK precipitated the unprecedented ethnic conflict that resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Kenyans and displacement of over 350,000 others? Secondly, in view of the bungled 2007 polls, is the Government ... view
• 30 Apr 2008 in National Assembly: Mr. Speaker, Sir, I wish to give notice of the following Motion:- THAT, appreciating the critical role of the Official Opposition in Kenya's progression as an emerging democracy and further recognising the unique circumstances that have begotten the Grand Coalition Government and the probability of similar circumstances arriving in the future; this House grants leave to introduce a Bill for an Act of Parliament entitled "The Official Opposition Bill" to anchor, govern and regulate the Opposition in Parliament. INTRODUCTION OF FISCAL MANAGEMENT BILL view