Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1005037,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1005037/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 449,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the opportunity to speak on this matter is much appreciated and I thank you. I am taking the earliest opportunity to congratulate the President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, on this very big win. Congratulations Mr. President and congratulations Kenya! Even as we congratulate our generation for this big opportunity to sit on the high table, I believe that we do stand strong and tall because we stand on the shoulders of great people who came before us. Even as we congratulate our generation, I think it is in order to congratulate all the people who came before us and had the opportunity to create the Republic that we are celebrating today. Our history as a country speaks for itself. We have been a democratic country, holding regular elections; we have been peaceful and have been at peace with our neighbors. All these issues have contributed to our big win to sit on the big table. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, we could never have had a better opportunity to sit at this table of the UN Security Council at a time like this. We have to ask ourselves - just like the Esther of the Bible - why were we appointed to be the people at a time like this? The geo-politics of this time are such that we have issues that had been swept under the carpet for too many years that are exploding today. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the campaign on \"Black Lives Matter\" is a headliner today. Kenya shall be sitting on the table talking about security. It is clear to my mind that security cannot come without justice. Kenya shall be carrying a big agenda as we sit on this table. We shall be looking back to the issues that are past centuries. We are talking about the slave trade that went for 400 years. We are talking about colonialism that went on for 100 years. It is time that Kenya represents our Continent on this high table and brings this issue to the front so that we can confront them and get justice and security shall prevail around the world. I believe that Kenya is up to the task. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, we have spoken about our neighbors. When I was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Dagoretti, I did not look back to see who voted for me and who did not vote for me. I actually serve the people of Dagoretti as my constituents. I would urge Kenya to go to the table and represent Africa regardless of whether a neighbor voted or did not vote. It is a time to now bring up this conversation about Pan-Africanism because the issues are raised - like the issue of debt that the previous speaker has raised - that becomes an issue when we start dealing with these \" big boys \" on a bi-lateral level. I believe that if we would go to the table as Africa, we would have a bigger voice discussing whether we shall be facing east or west. I believe the time now is to face within. If we face within, we shall bring a bigger African continent that shall be able to face up those people not on bi-lateral terms because Kenya, while sitting across the table with China, is a very small component - and so is Rwanda and even Djibouti. Therefore, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, whether our neighbors voted for us or did not vote for us, I believe Kenya can take this opportunity to now consolidate the United Nations of Africa. This is so that when Africa speaks with one voice, we are up to par to face up with the West, our former colonizers, the bigger powers, the super powers and even the emerging powers like China. Africa is bigger in terms of population, resources, and in terms of wealth. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, finally, there has been a question about what is in it for us. You will allow me just half a minute to prosecute this. What is in it for us, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker? The moment we get an opportunity to sit on a national platform, you would know because you are a member of a caucus that I lead. I am the global Vice-Chairman... The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}