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{
    "id": 1153104,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1153104/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 44,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Poghisio",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 202,
        "legal_name": "Samuel Losuron Poghisio",
        "slug": "samuel-poghisio"
    },
    "content": "difficult moment for anybody to be the President. That was the time we had the post- election violence. At that time, I was appointed to take care of a very difficult docket. It was a difficult docket in the sense that I had to be there to receive information about what was going on in the country, which was burning at that time. I had joined the Government ranks and the rest of Rift Valley had been in the opposition ranks. It was difficult for me personally because although I was a Minister, many times it was difficult for me to travel through Rift Valley, my own province. This is thanks to my being at that time the Chairman of Senator Wambua’s party right now. That is how I ended up being in the Cabinet I was extremely grateful to have worked with the party leader Hon. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka who happened to be a good friend. During that time, most of Rift Valley was opposed to anyone being in the Government. Many times just being courageous, I would drive through Eldoret which was a very hostile territory to get home. Mr. Speaker, Sir, when all was said and done, President Mwai Kibaki handled the matter in his own style; in a style where he was able to do it without emotions, without having to chest thump, or be controversial and antagonistic. Those of us who remember that time, he formed half of his Government and left the other half unfilled. He knew exactly that a moment was going to come when he would need to bring the country together. That is the gentleman we are talking about that lies in State today in this Parliament. Mr. Speaker, Sir, a lot can be said about that period of time, but when the Government of national unity was formed - it was baptized in Kiswahili as nusu mkate - that cooled the temperatures. It was more akin the handshake of today. It was very important for that moment for him to accept to form a Government of national unity. There was a lot of effort because some of my colleagues here were involved, particularly in negotiations that led to the formation of that Government. If I am not wrong, Sen. Wetangula and Sen. Orengo were key in some of these discussions. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have come here to mourn a fellow who was a President and a hero in his own right. On the crisis moment like the 2007-2008 period, he stood tall and actually saved the country which was going to burn and go to the dogs. Mr. Speaker, Sir, besides that when all had settled down our economy had hit rock bottom. There was no economy to talk about. The growth had gone below one per cent. Can you imagine that the President then being an economist, by the end of his term, the economy had grown to about seven per cent; the highest ever? I do not think we have easily gone back to that kind of growth. I am saying this because in about a year, we eulogized the former President Moi and now former President Mwai Kibaki. I want us to understand that Parliament plays a very key role in this particular process because we have made it a tradition that it is a place where former Presidents, retired Presidents or late Presidents lie in State and the citizens now have a chance to come and see their President and pay their tribute. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this is a tradition which we must have picked from somewhere, but it is a tradition that has been maintained. This is the third time we are doing it as 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."
}