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{
    "id": 1106071,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1106071/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 315,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Were",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13183,
        "legal_name": "Petronila Were Lokorio",
        "slug": "petronila-were-lokorio"
    },
    "content": "We had an opportunity to visit Botswana under the Commonwealth Parliamentarians Association (CPA). When we visited the Embassy, it was scarcely staffed. We met many Kenyan professionals who live in Botswana and have built that country. All the constructions of roads, schools and hotels have been done or spearheaded by Kenyan engineers. However, they have no way of paying back or participating and providing that knowledge back to our country. Madam Temporary Speaker, we need a framework through which they can participate in the economic wellbeing of our country. They also make quite a number of remittances to this country, in billions. Your mouth should be where you have put your money. If they are putting more money in the economy of this country and earning us foreign exchange – which is important for the calculation of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – we must be able to provide a framework through which they can also participate. We like saying ‘nothing for us without us.’ If we want to enjoy their money, we should allow them to enjoy the services or the rights they are entitled to according to our Constitution. Our Constitution also provides for dual citizenship. Therefore, those who have citizenship of other countries, have the right to enjoy the rights that are due to them as Kenyan citizens. For a long time, we used to complain brain drain; that our best have gone abroad or poached. Some of the people who have even produced vaccines have come from Africa. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine was developed by an African. That is brain drain. We cannot allow them to just develop whatever they develop out there and keep it. We need to find a way of bringing them back, so that they can participate fully socially, economically and even politically. Our Constitution now allows them to vote and participate in the Governance of their country. The IEBC tried in 2013, but they were unable to do it well. In 2017, it was done in only a few embassies and high commissions. We want it to be open and available to all Kenyans who are over 18 years, so that they can participate in the governance of their country. Madam Temporary Speaker, the Constitution also grants them the right to good health, education and sanitation. How are we protecting our young people, who go to look for especially low skilled labour abroad, especially in the Gulf region? They are still the responsibility of Kenya to protect them. I support this Bill, which is coming at the right time. Kenyans out there whose passports expire go through frustrations to have them renewed. How are we making it easy in the provision of public service to those Kenyans abroad? This Bill provides that framework. It encompasses all these issues and meets the interest of Kenyans who are abroad."
}