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{
    "id": 1153268,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1153268/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 208,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Ochillo-Ayacko",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to join colleagues in the Senate, the National Assembly and Kenya to mourn our departed third President of the Republic of Kenya. President Kibaki is a President who is fondly remembered by foes and friends as a person whose tenure was remarkable. I joined this Parliament in 1997 and at that time, Hon. Mwai Kibaki had been a Member of Parliament for 35 consecutive years. Some of us who were rookies then, found him in Parliament. We served together in opposition benches and in Government. Kibaki was a very calm opposition leader. He was a committed Member of Parliament who consistently offered leadership by coming to Parliament, staying in Parliament; debating in Parliament and leaving Parliament late after it adjourned. He would sit in the common room with Members and take his drink. In short, hon. Mwai Kibaki, before he became President, was a very available and accessible person who passionately loved representing the people who had elevated him to be a Member of Parliament for Othaya. He sat with many of us and most of those who were in Parliament with him at that time are now deceased. I remember he used to have a beer very closely with the late Hon. Ojode. He used to have a beer very closely with the late Sen. Kajwang’ and myself. There are others who are still alive; Jimmy Angwenyi, Norman Nyagah and others. He never talked much when we were outside Parliament, and still never talked much when we were inside the Chamber, but he kept us company and would marvel at the excitement that young people brought around him as a Member of Parliament. He was my leader as an opposition leader because I was also a member of an opposition party at that particular time. I had the privilege at that particular time of being the Chairman of Public Investments Committee of the National Assembly and he was the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament. We had sittings at almost the same time and after those sittings, we would sit together and listen to anecdotes from him. He would also listen to us and understand more from us about the areas that we were representing and what was going on there. The late President Mwai Kibaki was a keen listener, a fatherly figure and a very friendly person. He did not underrate or mistreat any of his colleagues. He was a true replication, representation and embodiment of a Member of Parliament. He did not treat anybody with disdain or hostility. He was always available to colleagues who wanted his counsel. 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."
}