James Orengo

All parliamentary appearances

Entries 141 to 150 of 4273.

• 11 Nov 2021 in Senate: Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I support this. It may later on occur that probably this report and the subject we are dealing with is a very important issue that defines what Kenya is at the moment, what Kenya should be and the direction we are headed. It is critical and I will give my reasons. In 1787 when Benjamin Franklin was very well known – he is in the popular culture – while he was walking out of the Independence Hall, out of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 in USA, as he walked out, somebody asked him; “Doctor, what ... view
• 11 Nov 2021 in Senate: because they owed it to the Executive to get those appointments – it was found necessary to put certain provisions in the Constitution. In those provisions, the manner in which the CJ was being nominated and appointed did not require a decision of the President in determining who becomes the CJ. Instead, it was the JSC which would determine who would become the CJ and the matter would be brought to Parliament. After Parliament approves, then the responsibility of the President was to exercise authority of being an instrument of appointment. The President does not make that decision. The President ... view
• 11 Nov 2021 in Senate: willing to appoint or whether he was not to appoint those who had been nominated by the political parties. It was a question of whether we were to have six men and six women or whether the words gender equality gave some discretion. We never had an issue as to whether the President could replace or refuse to appoint those who had been nominated by the political parties. This particular issue defines us, as a nation. Can we make appointments in accordance with the Constitution? If I am elected as a Member of the Senate for Siaya County and the ... view
• 11 Nov 2021 in Senate: Going to court does not mean then there is a preliminary stay or injunction against that person assuming the seat. Therefore, I do not understand this. This is one of the things that is defining us. We might be taking it lightly, but it is defining whether we have persuaded ourselves that we are a Government that is guided by the Constitution and the law. It defines if we are a democratic Government based on justice, values and principles in Article 10 of the Constitution or we still want to cut corners. My views are very strong about this especially ... view
• 11 Nov 2021 in Senate: I would plead with the Executive that if we want to move forward in the vision of this Constitution that we have, we need obedience of court orders. We may disagree with court orders and people do disagree, but there is a process of disagreeing. The worst thing is if the Executive is disobeying court orders. If the Executive is disobeying court orders, why should ordinary people obey court orders? They should not be obeying court orders if the Government, which is supposed to be obeying court orders, is not doing so. Madam Temporary Speaker, I remember once when we ... view
• 11 Nov 2021 in Senate: There was my friend, who was the Chairman of the Law Society of Kenya, Mr. Kamau Kuria. He was one of the people who fought for this new Constitution. Mr. Kamau Kuria’s name should be in the top 10. A Judge took a file relating to a matter that Mr. Kamau Kuria had filed in court. I think it was in relation to the Bill of Rights. Since the Judge knew that the Executive wanted that matter to be decided in a certain direction and he could not deal with it the way he should, he decided to hide the ... view
• 10 Nov 2021 in Senate: Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I begin by commending my Chairperson of the Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights. The work that has been done by this Committee on many issues is exemplary. It is not just that he is a senior counsel; it is because he has a world view and he is strong on fundamental issues that we should be keeping at the back of our minds all the time. Therefore, without a doubt, the Committee which I belong, is in able hands of Senior Counsel, Sen. Okong’o Omogeni. view
• 10 Nov 2021 in Senate: I state that one of the most controversial discussions that we had during the Constitution-making process was on Article 26 on the right to life. At the centre of debate was the argument involved with the religious community on the question of when life begins. The religious community, particularly the Catholics, insisted that life begins at conception. view
• 10 Nov 2021 in Senate: That right to life is not something that is written for purposes of cosmetics or to make our Constitution high sounding. It is based on very old principles that have their genesis from the very existence of humanity. view
• 10 Nov 2021 in Senate: Even by looking at the animal kingdom, when one animal, for example, a lion attacks a buffalo or its offspring, the buffaloes will mobilize and defend the right of that offspring. This is a very fundamental principle. view