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{
"id": 1153249,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1153249/?format=api",
"text_counter": 189,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Mwaura",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13129,
"legal_name": "Isaac Maigua Mwaura",
"slug": "isaac-mwaura"
},
"content": "Why for example, today, is Kshs98 billion being used at the national headquarters at the Ministry of Health instead of going to help our public universities? The late President Kibaki opened up public universities in a very big way. It is out of that that we have had so many people graduate. The quality maybe arguable, but at least, today, so many people have gotten degrees that they would not have otherwise gotten. He was very futuristic in terms of education. As someone said earlier, Kimani Maruge, an 84-year-old man, showed up in school. In fact, Bill Clinton, the former President of the United States of America, when asked whom he would want to meet, said “I want to meet Mwai Kibaki” That is because when he became President, he provided free education and a million children showed up in school. He came all the way from the USA to have a chat with President Mwai Kibaki. I also remember him being hosted in Washington by the then President George Bush. Those meetings were very important; that the DP leader was an icon of democracy. If you look at the current celebrations, there are not overrated and being outdone like they have always been before on other people. That in itself and his quiet demeanor is very important. I was speaking to Jimmy Kibaki today and he told me that it is the first time that he is stepping in Parliament. For the first time! Even when his father had served here for 10 terms, that is 50 years, he never allowed public service to be mixed with family and that is the reason he stayed at State House; so that he could have more time with his family and grandchildren could visit him. He separated family from public office, something maybe some of us are not good at doing. It is a lesson that we may want to learn from him, so that there is some of stability going forward. Madam Deputy Speaker, I stand here tall and happy that we have a role model that we can look up to; someone who put the country first and was paid for it. The journey was treacherous. He had to wait for so long to become President. He was bypassed by so many people who looked better and good than him but, still, the hand of God made sure that he became the best President that I can say confidently here, out of the four presidents, he shines, stands tall; a man who should be emulated. I end by a story a friend of mine was telling me about. He was a policeman at State House, but had taken a whole night watching football and was fatigued, then decided to sleep in a banana plantation at Statehouse. It was in one of the quarters because it is a big piece of land. When he was sleeping, he only woke up when someone tapped on him, only to find that it was the Commander-in-Chief. He asked, “ weweunajificha hapa,” and they had a very good conversation. He still let go and asked him, “Are you happy because I have increased the salary for the police officers?” He made a lot of police reforms. Madam Deputy Speaker, the 2010 Constitution that he promulgated has mentioned persons with disabilities 18 times. It is the same Constitution that has enabled me to stand here today. First, in the 11th Parliament as a Nominated Member of the National Assembly, and today, as a Nominated Senator. It is the same Constitution, when I was being illegally removed from the Senate that defended me under the rule of law, and after seven months, I was able to come back to finish my term. 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."
}