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{
"id": 1120940,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1120940/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
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"speaker": {
"id": 13165,
"legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
"slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
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"content": "I saw last week that the United Nation (UN) women had an engagement with part of women caucus and you could see the invitation was sectional, that is, selective towards only people of a certain political inclination. This is despite the fact that from times of old, it was always known that when it comes, for example, to gender issues, people and those who are in positions of leadership always used to rise above petty partisan politics. However, this is not the case with the current administration, which is really unfortunate. Mr. Speaker Sir, I wish to challenge them to know that there is nothing unique or special about this particular election. This siege mentality that we are experiencing and are being told that so and so must never win, is propelling the particular candidate that the over-rated system is working hard against. That is how you are propelling such people. What I understand, having being a political player for the last few years, is that elections will come and go, but we will remain as a country. We must remain and respect ideals that, as a nation, we have worked so hard to achieve and continue to live together. Let us not carry the country towards a particular direction, such that if a particular candidate was to win, there would be no Kenya after all. I believe all those who are running for President - because I have listened - at least those who are serious about their candidature, are people who if you place this country in their hands, they will be able to transform it in one way or the other. They may be gifted differently. We hold different opinions, but must collectively speak out against this administration that has panicked for reasons I do not know and are now keen on directing our politics towards a particular direction and doing things that are increasingly becoming embarrassing. Even our foreign friends are increasingly becoming worried that when did Kenya slide back to these levels? Mr Speaker, Sir, those are my few thoughts about it, but maybe the Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights or a few other concerned committees need to look into detail on this particular issue. We should also call upon the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to have a working workshop with us, Members of Parliament, because much as many of us are aspirants before them, just like those who are trying to run for office, it is important that the legislature is informed on election preparedness and how they intend to run this particular election. Mr. Speaker, Sir, at your level and that of the Speaker of the National Assembly, you need to request that of them, so that we can raise certain issues because we are partners in this journey. There are a few things that we learnt from 2017, which we want to share with them or they can allay certain fears that we are hearing for purposes of ensuring that, next year, we have elections on 9th August, and on 10th, people resume their duties and life goes on. Those who will have won, we congratulate them; those who will have lost, they live to fight another day. Thank you Mr. Speaker, Sir."
}