Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1009283,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1009283/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 328,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Mwaura",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13129,
        "legal_name": "Isaac Maigua Mwaura",
        "slug": "isaac-mwaura"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this Committee and its Members led by Sen. Sakaja because they had done a good job. I am saying so because I do not want to belabour the point. However, there is something that Senators may have noticed. Let me put it across that the visibility and the stature of the Senate in matters public domain has increased during this COVID-19 pandemic. That is a fact. The Senate was seen to provide leadership, during this crisis through this Committee. When it looked like the preserve of the intervention was with the Executive at both levels of Government; the Legislature only came alive through the COVID-19 response Committee. This is very commendable. The traction and the momentum that has been gained by the Senate as a result of this intervention has made the Senate be the centre of the politics of this country, the core politics of COVID-19, if you like it. That is commendable. That speaks to the low rates of death. The other thing that the Government has done very well is what we call signalling in communication. This is because what we are dealing with was; do we have to protect the lives of Kenyans, or do we have to protect the economy? When we began, there were only 115 ICU beds in this country, which has since changed. As it is said, necessity is the mother of invention. However, it shows that we are not prepared because countries all over the world could not expect COVID-19 as it were. Madam Temporary Speaker, going forward because I can see the yellow light even before I execute my thinking is that we need to do a lot more because our vulnerability has been exposed due to this pandemic. As I was sitting here, I received a text from somebody telling me that they have not eaten. I am sure that many of us have done so. I have gone to so many households trying to distribute food, sanitisers, masks and others. Yesterday we launched the Kazi Mtaani programme in Githurai which will benefit more than 1,500 youth. We are a hand to mouth economy. Therefore, the economy has been really hit by this."
}