Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1129819,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1129819/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 48,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Mwaura",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13129,
        "legal_name": "Isaac Maigua Mwaura",
        "slug": "isaac-mwaura"
    },
    "content": "However, our political parties have had a fair history of not surviving the next general election, degenerating to become a pale shadow of their former selves. This is largely because of lack of internal party democracy that enables them to outgrow the founders’ syndrome. Their founders see them as personal property rather than public institutions of our nascent democracy. It is therefore important to ensure that we continuously question the manner in which they are run. Their endeavors must be protected by law in order to ensure we have strong political parties such as in other jurisdictions that have been able to carry the vision of their country, lifting millions of people out of poverty. We have examples in the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) and the two party systems of Democrats versus Republicans and Labor versus Conservatives in the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK) respectively. Looking at our history here in Kenya, we know that we are essentially a de facto two party state only that we kill them and start new ones from the same material every five years. Is this not the theatre of the absurd? This recycling not only kills the current careers of many good leaders but stunts the growth of our county towards sustained prosperity. Our public institutions, such as constitutional commissions and independent offices need not to cave in under political pressure to procure irregularities and illegalities. They should stand tall and defend their space since an institution is a rule that persist over time despite who is in power according to research already done. Mr. Speaker Sir, these institutions need to be populated with men and women of honor candor and courage and not spineless apologists who are only too keen to suck up to the whims of the powers that be or the appointing authority. They need to learn from our independent Judiciary and in this case the Senate and to know that even their rights are protected too by the Constitution through the rule of law. Mr. Speaker, Sir, to anyone out there whose rights and fundamental freedoms have been infringed upon, keep fighting; keep questioning; keep looking for answers to the problem at hand. It is only in this way that human advancement and excellence is attained. It does not matter the fear, intimidation, denial of privilege, name-calling and mudslinging. Stand up, define yourself and do not allow to see yourself through the lenses of others. Show to the world the stuff that you are made of, for it is not only authentic and original, but it is the essence of the mosaic of our diversity. That too, is what makes the world go round and an interesting place to live in. To those who took the opportunity to body shame and call us out on the basis of anatomy, morphology and or physiology, I want to remind them of the words of Martin Luther King Jnr., that no man should be judged by the colour of their skin, but purely on the content of their character. We are much more than the presentation that comes with basic appearance. Our clarion is to put it out there so that even if we do not agree with The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}