Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 118286,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/118286/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 416,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ms. Karua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 166,
        "legal_name": "Martha Wangari Karua",
        "slug": "martha-karua"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to strongly support this Bill. It is to be remembered that the wave of election related violence started in 1991 during the advent of the multi-party system. That violence continued in 1992 during the elections. It was then, the Government of the day’s weapon to try and stop the advent of multi-partyism. Thereafter, in every election, violence has been recurring and in 1997, it was a weapon by the then Government to try and scuttle the Opposition votes, especially in the Rift Valley Province. In 2007, this violence was used as a tool to acquire political power. The Grand Coalition Government is founded on violence. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, this country is in a very precarious situation. If we do not break this cycle of violence by punishing impunity, we are creating a scenario where this country is likely to disintegrate in the next General Elections. We can only do that by enacting appropriate legislation like the one before this House. When I was the Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, the Government did approve a similar Bill. It came before this House but some Cabinet Ministers from both sides of the political divide actively de-whipped Members not to support the Bill while they pretended to support it. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the two Principals failed to give support to the Bill. None of them came here to contribute the way they came in person when there was a proposal to make the Grand Coalition Government that put them in the positions they are in. Their body language to the country and Members of this House was that the Tribunal Bill does not matter. Now, they are doing worse than that. We have not seen any of the Principals encouraging their supporters, Members or Ministers to come to this House and support this Bill. I want to congratulate Mr. Imanyara for bringing this Bill to the House. The Government has all along been telling Kenyans that it is doing something about reigning in impunity and punishing the perpetrators of post-election violence. They were telling the international community and the International Criminal Court (ICC) that they were ready to put measures in place. By bringing this Bill, Mr. Imanyara has helped this"
}