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{
    "id": 1103034,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1103034/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 77,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wetangula",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 210,
        "legal_name": "Moses Masika Wetangula",
        "slug": "moses-wetangula"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, if you look at countries like Israel, they are giving third round vaccinations to the entire population. The United States of America (USA) has vaccinated almost two thirds of the population. Here, we are still lagging behind. We understand that the Government is receiving a lot of donations and acquisition of vaccines, but we need extraordinary measures. The luxury of saying that you get vaccinated if you agree--- We previously had a case where a sect called the Akorino, who constantly refused to go to hospital, used to be prosecuted whenever they kept their sick in the houses when they refused to take them to hospitals. If it is Government policy that all people eligible to be vaccinated are citizens of Kenya, you cannot speak from both sides of your mouth and say that vaccinations are important and must be done, but they should be voluntary. If this disease is so dangerous that we are vaccinating the whole world, then we cannot have the luxury of telling any Kenyan who is eligible to be vaccinated that it is voluntary. The moment we say it is voluntary, we will have people who will be constantly spreading this virus to others and causing untold death, harm and slowing down our economy. Mr. Speaker, Sir, thirdly, I want to urge the Government - and Sen. Faki is right in citing the law - that whenever we want to have restriction of movement of Kenyans, Parliament has the ultimate say. That is why I said last week, when Senators were calling for the KDF to be deployed to Laikipia, that we cannot do that unless we have express authority from Parliament, because our military cannot be used for internal order. It is for protecting our territory. As we continue battling with COVID-19, the Government must realize that there are so many small businesses that have collapsed. In fact, it is not just small businesses. I saw on TV last night five-star hotels that have closed down in Nairobi. The five big hotels that were closed are Intercontinental Hotel next to Parliament, Radisson Blu Hotel, The Norfolk, which is a very iconic hotel in Nairobi, and many others. All this is because of COVID-19. How do we take measures to reopen the economy? The CS for Health and the multi-sectoral and multi-agency groups that have been put together must now be designing to tell Kenyans the little dos and don’ts that will normalize life, so that the Matatu industry does not collapse; the small eateries that employ young single parents do not collapse, and the transportation industry taking food to markets does not collapse. We want to run a 24-hour economy, so that our economy can sustain our needs as a nation. I support the Statement and urge the police to be fair, just and open in enforcing these restrictions. We cannot have situations where in some places the police are knocking as soon as it hits 8.00 p.m., whereas we have been told of places in certain privileged parts of this City that are open 24 hours. This biased application of the law does not auger well for a good society. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."
}