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{
    "id": 1109094,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1109094/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 57,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orengo",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Minority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 129,
        "legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
        "slug": "james-orengo"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I will be very brief. Let me also join my colleagues in welcoming the MCAs from Nandi County. Without doubt, Nandi is a county of heroes. I say so because when this country was being colonized by the White people, one of the greatest resistance movements against colonialism came from a respected leader from Nandi known as Koitalel Samoei. It is good that you are in this Chamber. One of the greatest contributors in this Parliament over the years was a Nandi gentleman, a lawyer, one of the most virulent sons of Kenya to have served in the Kenyan Parliament. If you go to the HANSARD, you will find the kinds of debates that were taking place in the first Kenyan Parliament and even when Kenya became a de facto one party State. As far as I am concerned, he continues to be, in my estimation, one of the greatest parliamentarians this country has ever produced, Jean-Marie Seroney. A lot of decisions were made at his time when he served as a Deputy Speaker and also a Member of Parliament. It shows that anybody, if you are in any position, can make a contribution. You do not have to be a Minister or a Speaker. The greatest parliamentarians have not necessarily been people who were sitting in the Front Bench. Jean-Marie Seroney was such a person. His greatest contribution to one of the controversies that took place in Parliament at the time was when Martin Shikuku said that KANU was dead and Shikuku was forced to substantiate. Other Members stood up demanding that hon. Shikuku should substantiate. Seroney came with this quick remark that “you cannot substantiate the obvious.” For that, the next day, Seroney and Shikuku were arrested and detained. We continue to remember him. Having said that, I am glad that this is the committee on labour and justice. I wish I had an opportunity to meet you because both labour and justice are very important components in the traditional role of Parliament. I hope that during your visit here, you have had conversations both with the Members of the Senate and our staff. I think it is important to say that the word “county” should never really feature. What is important is that you are also a parliament. Senate is part of Parliament at a national level. The county assembly is parliament at the county level. Therefore, you should hold your heads high because when you go to some meetings, for example, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) or to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), you will find that from the UK there are various parliaments coming from Wales, Scotland or Westminster. I think sometimes we do not give respect to county assemblies. It is important that you are held in honour because of your status and being a part of the legislature. I have never seen any kind of rough or riotous proceedings in the Nandi County Assembly. I think you are cut from a different cloth from the Senator for Nandi. However, I agree with Sen. Zawadi that the Senator from Nandi is truly a great resource person and a great debater. I just wish that he would look at the world differently, like the other people in your county, the two Kosgeys; Henry Kosgey and Sally Kosgei. These are some of the greatest sons and daughters of Nandi. Those two were Members of our party, ODM, and served in the Grand Coalition Government. Therefore, do not forget us as we journey towards next year."
}