Drama in Senate as Nominated Senator Hezena Lemaletian clashed with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna over the suspension of Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba
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00:00 Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker, and I rise to strongly oppose the report sent before this house
00:06 because I think everybody deserves a second chance and
00:11 most importantly because I note that we are all not made equal.
00:16 All human beings are made very differently, and there is no way that we all want to conform or confine
00:23 human beings to behave in a particular way or
00:27 express themselves in a particular way. For those of you who think they are gifted in expressing yourselves or
00:33 projecting your frustrations,
00:36 not everybody can be like you. And as a mature human being and a leader,
00:42 what we need to learn is how to tolerate each other. If you know that this particular person
00:48 has this kind of character,
00:51 then know how to
00:53 tolerate that character and respect who they are because we all have different characters.
00:58 We all have different personalities. And again, secondly, let's not forget that we are talking about
01:04 sexual harassment here.
01:06 This is something that has been downplayed over so many years and a lot of us have gone through so many frustrations of
01:14 refusing to be employed because of sexual advances from particularly the men.
01:21 Not only that, there are also young men in offices
01:25 who I know
01:28 have gone through a lot of sexual harassment from ladies,
01:31 older ladies.
01:34 And I'm very frustrated as a young person in this country
01:37 because that has been the norm within this nation, that
01:41 somebody will be asked for sexual favors if you don't conform, you remain jobless.
01:49 And
01:50 while at the same time a lot of people are losing and missing opportunities because of this thorn in the flesh,
01:56 what this house should be talking about is putting strong and stringent laws forward
02:03 to regulate sexual harassment,
02:06 especially in public and government offices.
02:11 From the top to the bottom,
02:16 we have had a lot of reports even in the media of
02:19 women being sexually harassed. And right now to the public,
02:24 what they see is a young assertive woman who rose and defended against sexual harassment.
02:31 A lot of times we might see different things in the house, but what does the public see?
02:37 What does the public see? And a lot of times
02:45 when assertive women come out and defend their position on these issues, their heads are pressed down.
02:52 The thing this house should be discussing is how to prevent
02:58 sexual harassment. And a lot of times when the victim has been harassed, you are not in a position to get evidence.
03:06 Things flow and you don't have evidence.
03:09 [inaudible]
03:15 Just a minute, Senator Azena.
03:17 What is your point of order?
03:20 And let us also not continue just raising points of order.
03:25 No, no, no, Mr. Speaker. I am not in the habit of raising frivolous points of order.
03:30 Understanding Order 120, again to remind this house,
03:34 that the report before us is a report of
03:38 the Powers and Privileges Committee. In this particular case,
03:42 nobody has accused Gloria
03:45 of being an assertive woman.
03:48 Nobody has accused her of
03:51 lack of proper expression. We are not saying she cannot express herself. She is one of the most eloquent Senators in this house.
03:58 The report of the house is very simple. She made
04:04 allegations.
04:06 She needed to substantiate.
04:08 She failed to substantiate
04:11 the consequences of dragging people's names through the mud. And then you don't say it. You don't come here to lecture us
04:19 about sexual this, sexual that. Show us the evidence. Show us the evidence.
04:24 Nobody is interested in sexual advances here.
04:27 Senator Sifuna.
04:29 Senator Sifuna, you know you cannot put exact words that any Senator should use.
04:36 As long as she is contributing on this particular matter.
04:40 She is contributing on this particular matter.
04:43 If for a reason she is defending women and the young lenders, young women lenders. So to me she is not out of order.
04:51 Senator Azena, proceed and
04:54 conclude your minutes. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
04:58 This is exactly what happens when young women are assertive in this country. And it is a time
05:05 Mr. Speaker
05:07 Some people I am I am
05:10 members all the members
05:13 And I have the right to be heard
05:16 Because Mr. Speaker
05:19 Protect me Mr. Speaker.
05:21 To get to the floor.
05:23 Protect me Mr. Speaker from people exhibiting chauvinism, male chauvinism.
05:28 Senator Azena, stop embarrassing members. Just proceed and conclude your contribution.
05:33 Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
05:35 Senator Sifuna does not utilize my eyes. I do not use your eyes to read the report.
05:44 Nor do you live with me. There is no way you will know if I read the report or not.
05:49 So stick to your lane.
05:51 Senator Azena, stop embarrassing members. Directly. And raise the chair kindly.
05:54 Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
06:01 Mr. Speaker, as I continue, like I reiterated, that what we need to discuss in this house is how to protect people and young women especially from sexual harassment.
06:12 Why? Because a lot of times when these allegations are made or we have cases like this, a lot of times it's drawn under the bus because there is no evidence.
06:22 And a lot of instances when this is happening, you do not even have time to get evidence.
06:28 So, Mr. Speaker, we need to be very fair in how we approach these issues and know that this house is a house for all of us.
06:41 And everybody deserves respect.
06:44 I do not agree with the insults labelled against our fellow colleagues.
06:54 But at the same time, you do not see every problem.
07:00 When you have a hammer, you see every problem as a nail.
07:05 We must not use hammers to correct or guns to deal with very small problems.
07:11 Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
07:14 Thank you.
07:15 [end]