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"id": 1047713,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1047713/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Ochillo-Ayacko",
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"content": "I will try, but I do not want to guarantee. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Thanks to the leadership for bringing this important Motion. You have noticed lately the bad manners that politicians have in funerals, where they pretend to be going to condole with the families. They pretend to be going to mourn with friends and those who are gathered to give a dignified send off to their beloved ones, but fight and abuse one another. Therefore, for the leadership to have thought of this opportunity, where we can sombrely and in a very dignified way speak about our colleague, I think this is something that deserves an accolade and should be part of the tradition here. I want to say two things because many things have been said. However, before I say them, I want to bring my condolences and those of the people of Migori to the family of the late Sen. Haji. They knew Sen. Haji and loved him. He was an ideal citizen and all of them have been motivated and inspired by his life and the way he carried himself. I want to speak about loyalty. It has been mentioned here that Sen. Haji was without a doubt a very loyal public servant. He was an elected public servant, loyal to leadership and Government, and an appointed public servant loyal to leadership and Government. Some of us, particularly politicians who are big headed, like I used to be when I was younger, and served with him in this House, did not believe in issues called loyalty. We thought that if you are so radical, you are admirable. Loyalty breeds trust. If we are loyal to leadership, leadership gets to trust you. When leadership trusts you, and you are a forthright and straight person like the late Sen. Haji, you can influence leadership positively and actually be a catalyst for change. Therefore, let us all know that loyalty is not a negative thing. Loyalty will earn you trust to the people who put you in positions of responsibility. If you are a straight and forthright person, you will use that opportunity to positively influence those people. Sen. Yusuf Haji exhibited loyal leadership to the regime of the late Jomo Kenyatta, to the regime of the late Moi and to the regime of the current President, Uhuru Kenyatta. He was also quite loyal to his people, and that is something that is worth admiring. This country has been divided, particularly along religious and cultural lines. The late Sen. Haji, coming from an Islamic and Somali background, and the tension that had been there between Kenya and Somalia, made him and his community be suspected for being disloyal to this nation. Madam Deputy Speaker, in 2009, I sat somewhere and was watching the funeral of the late Michael Jackson. I remember the eulogy of Michael Jackson that was given by Reverend Al Sharpton. Al Sharpton said that Michael Jackson was the first person to have introduced black culture and talent to the international stage. I believe that the service of Sen. Yusuf Haji has brought trust and unity to this religiously diverse country. I believe that to the Muslim brothers and sisters, who we have here, if you can serve as well as Sen. Haji served, and to the Christians, if you can do similarly, all of us will minimize the suspicion we have among ourselves. I want to rest my condolence and ask God that may his soul rest eternal peace. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}