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{
    "id": 1031894,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1031894/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 186,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Eng.) Mahamud",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 373,
        "legal_name": "Mohammed Maalim Mahamud",
        "slug": "mohammed-mahamud"
    },
    "content": "The Address was given at a time when this country is facing a lot of challenges. The President in Paragraph 7 said that “the state of the nation is strong, resilient, beaming with the promise of an even brighter future.” That is very optimistic and futuristic but the fact is that this country is facing a lot of challenges which are caused by Covid-19 that has this year has ravaged the whole world Kenya included. As we speak today, the challenges of Covid-19 have not gone away. In fact, a second wave has come and we are facing a serious challenge which must be addressed seriously. We are now losing our medical staff, who are our frontline workers in this issue. It is getting serious. Two days ago, I was watching the news that our doctors have given a strike notice because of the risk they are being exposed to. Covid-19 has contributed to the crippling of our economy which has been ravaged by crippling debt burden that has never been seen before. This is coupled with the problem we have because there are no activities going on in the economy. In fact, this has contributed to a lot of slowdown in our economy. Our education sector has not been spared. Our children have been at home since April, this year. We were talking of opening schools and when we are just ready to do so, the issue of a second wave has started. The preparedness of this country in dealing with Covid-19 is just questionable. We must, as Kenyans, take this serious moment where we are dealing with Covid- 19 and take it seriously. It was at the beginning that we, as stated in the Address, put a lot of measures in place but they were later relaxed. I still think this matter is very serious and must be dealt with the seriousness it deserves. Our schools are open and many will be opened in January, 2021. Some of our learners are testing positive. Today we have seen Baringo, the other day we saw a school in Kilifi where more than 30 learners were diagnosed with Covid-19. This is a serious matter that we must address. Madam Deputy Speaker, our economy is not doing well because of the slow down which was caused by Covid-19. In fact, all these needs to be tackled. On the state of security of this country, yes, it is true that the challenges that were posed by Al-Shabaab have scaled down tremendously. I thank the state for the good job they have done on this matter. Security challenges which are posed by the regional conflict going on in Ethiopia and in our good neighbor Tanzania must be taken seriously by Kenya. Kenya has been known as an island of peace in a region full of turmoil. Over the years, we took part in a lot of peace keeping missions in countries such as Sudan and Somalia. It is not maybe out turn to intervene and see what we can do with our neighbor, Ethiopia because that war is a serious one that can affect the region terribly. Our other neighbor Somalia is stabilizing. We must be keen to make sure we stabilize our region. The political atmosphere in the country is also wanting. The BBI report, good as it is, I think we are not doing very well. We must build bridges that are firm; that cannot be washed away by very shallow rivers; bridges that can affirm the youth of this country as required. In his Address, the President several times referred to this as a “constitutional moment”. Yes, it is a constitutional moment, but the Constitution must be made by all of"
}