James Orengo

All parliamentary appearances

Entries 1661 to 1670 of 4273.

• 9 Apr 2019 in Senate: Madam Temporary Speaker, I have suggested something and people have mistaken me all the time out there. Sometimes the media report what they want people to believe we are saying. However, we are saying that the war on corruption is not just about arresting people, investigating cases or taking them to court. The Constitution gives us so many other tools to deal with criminality, corruption or issues of leadership and integrity, as set out in the Constitution. view
• 9 Apr 2019 in Senate: I challenge Parliament; that is the National Assembly and the Senate because we have the tools to deal with integrity and leadership issues without necessarily surrendering that role to other arms of Government, including the investigative agencies. For example, under the Constitution, it is the National Assembly together with the Senate that have the ownership of the purse. That can be used to deal with rogue departments in the Government by denying them funds. That works in some jurisdictions. For example, in Kenya, there are departments that consistently have been shown to run amok. That tool can be used. It ... view
• 9 Apr 2019 in Senate: The President, during his Speech said that many people were expecting him to sack Cabinet Secretaries. He said that his hands are tied; that he can only do so after they have been charged. Even after being charged, he has to force them to step aside. However, Parliament can bring a Motion for the removal of a Cabinet Secretary if that need be. That is a tool that we are not prepared to use. view
• 9 Apr 2019 in Senate: Madam Temporary Speaker, I talked about the question of impeachment in regard to having a constitutional tool which can be used. It is just as the people of Kenya also have certain tools for dealing with Parliament. If a Member of Parliament is not doing his or her work up to the expectations of the people, there is an innovative tool that is found in the Constitution, by way of a right of the mechanism of recall. That is the people directly exercising their sovereignty; they do not have to wait for another election. This can be seen in the ... view
• 9 Apr 2019 in Senate: place to deal with some of these issues. Since my distinguished Chairperson of the Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights is here, I will talk to him so that we find out whether there are more innovative tools to apply in dealing with corruption. Parliament may be more even-handed than some of the constitutional organs. This is because there have been complaints that some of the arrests and prosecutions are not based on evidence or the law, but are mere cases of witch-hunt. I want it to be understood properly in that regard. view
• 9 Apr 2019 in Senate: Madam Temporary Speaker, the President spoke on the BBI and the „handshake‟. I commend him for being firm on this initiative. There are people who were beginning to lose hope on what to expect out of the „handshake‟ and the BBI. However, his statement to the National Assembly and Senate in the Joint Sitting was very strong. There are expectations that what he said will find favour at the end of the day when the report is circulated by the Committee making recommendations. In fact, in Paragraph 122, the President spoke without any contradiction or missing a word. He said:- ... view
• 9 Apr 2019 in Senate: My only problem with the process is that it may come out too late in the day, if there are measures that will be undertaken either by Parliament or some organs of Government, such as what people have been talking about - a referendum. If these will be done in anticipation of the next election, then time is not on our side. If they will end up making legislative enactments, again, time will not be on our side. view
• 9 Apr 2019 in Senate: Madam Temporary Speaker, everybody is out there waiting for the results of this initiative. I think they have about four or five months to go. I for one have no doubt that what they will bring to the country in terms of recommendations will be well received. Our part is to wait for our turn because they have not come to my county to take our views about what we think Kenya should be and how it should be run. view
• 9 Apr 2019 in Senate: Madam Temporary Speaker, there are areas where the President talked generally. In the area of agriculture his comments were that they are waiting for reports of the taskforce. This is an area that touches everybody in the country. There are issues that have been with us every year in the agricultural sector. These more particularly concern the maize farmers and the sugar sector. We need to see concrete results that will come out of the recommendations of the taskforces. I for one truly believe that in the sugar industry the factories should be privatized. The Government has put a lot ... view
• 9 Apr 2019 in Senate: perennial problem we have with this sector is brought to an end. These industries should be privatized, but regulated so that the farmer does not suffer. If they cannot be privatized in the traditional way, farmers should form cooperatives with injection of investments from other partners so that the perennial problem that we have with this sector is brought to an end. view