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{
    "id": 1087202,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1087202/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 221,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orengo",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Minority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 129,
        "legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
        "slug": "james-orengo"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in conclusion, since we are talking about the National Anthem and what it says, we should begin to have a reawakening again about the needs of our people so that the National Anthem is just not empty words. If you go through the National Anthem which is in the Schedules to our Constitution, there are words which are very powerful. They invoke the name of the Almighty and how we want to live in “peace and liberty”, “ amani na uhuru” in the first stanza. These are essential to having a stable nation. Even in a constitutional democracy as ours, without peace and liberty--- In fact, these two fundamental rights and principles, one cannot go without the other. We cannot have peace without liberty. The foundation of peace is liberty. Lastly, it says “plenty be found within our borders”. I am just talking about the first stanza, not even going to the second and third. Now, it is plenty just to a few of us. It is plenty within our borders, to every Kenyan. I think this is one of the things that we must begin to focus our minds on. It is never too late to do so. Elections are coming next year and everybody will be talking about them and the promises being made. However, some of these things are never dependent on an election cycle. They must be delivered to the people of this country now. I hope in talking about plenty being found within our borders, it means not being given but found. We can create that plenty so that it can be found within our borders. It is not tokenism, which cannot help. A country that has plenty does not come from a benevolent leader. That is not good enough. It comes out of creating a nation that makes it possible for plenty to be found within our borders. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I am little bit agitated as we are now on this cycle that we must think about the changes that may come in the next 12 months. This is by way of elections and having a new Government in place. Of course, Kenyans will determine who will constitute that Government. At the centre of it, we must empower the people of Kenya, not through tokenism, but through plenty being found within our borders. Right now not so many Kenyans feel that plenty is being found within our borders. People’s pockets are empty, the pandemic has been here for two years now. A very small percentage of our people in Kenya have been vaccinated. For most, getting access to that simple jab has been difficult. The economic situation is depressed because of these factors that are worldwide and some of it is internally created. The bottom line is for us to make Kenya a country where plenty can be found. When you talk about where plenty can be found, whether it is the Asian Tigers or in the countries in the north they get it right by having the right institutions and policies to enable people to come up and raise their standards of living. How that wealth is used by the country and republic will depend upon governments. For their being plenty within our land should not depend upon who is the leader. I think this is the principle that we must grapple with. This is why we must protect this anthem because it is the National Anthem and also because of what it says about what we should be and what Kenyans should enjoy; liberty peace and the plenty that is to be found within our borders. I want to encourage our people as Kenyans that we are brothers and sisters. Recently when I went to the United States of America, during the last four days of the trip - I was with the Senate Leader of Majority - you could just feel the sense of recognition for The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only.A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}