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{
"id": 1228564,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1228564/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
"speaker": {
"id": 13165,
"legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
"slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
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"content": "officers, either at the Ministry of Lands, Pubic Works, Housing and Urban Development or Kenya Forest Service or any State agencies are doing this in total disregard of the rule of law? If that were to be the case, then we need to sanction those officers, so that we protect citizens and we do not end up having frustrated citizens. Mr. Speaker, Sir, lastly, is on the very sad story of the great Jean-Marie Seroney. If you are a historian of parliamentary practice in Kenya, you cannot miss the chapter. It is unfortunate because previously in the 8th, 9th and the previous Parliaments, we used to have a library. I think it used to be at that place which now serves as the Senate Lounge. Many afternoons, you would walk in and read about debates and contributions of great legislators that had walked before us in this House. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is unfortunate that we have not kept that culture. On many occasions, when Members want to study or read, if you were to put a question on whether any of our colleagues in the House know where the Parliamentary Library is, not one will answer. Maybe Sen. Omogeni knows, or he may not even be aware that it is below his office at County Hall. That is where he has been tucked into. I know that because that is where my office used to be for the past five years. I hope we can maintain the culture of celebrating men and women who made significant contributions as legislators. Forget about the Executive and the Judiciary. The late Hon. Jean Marie Seroney suffered because of most of the things that he said and did while as a Member of Parliament (MP). Of course, his infamous remark “you cannot substantiate the obvious” that got him into trouble was made in these precincts of Parliament. It is within our powers to celebrate such people who made their contributions in one way or the other, but were eventually punished. There are many others that we can think of. We can use this as an example. We can make recommendations as Parliament because we have the National Honours and Awards Committee that can think through. We may not find the money to compensate his family, but there are certain things that we can do that his family will feel that at least as Parliament, we appreciate the contribution of their patriot. This is the second time that this issue is coming before this House, yet we have not secured anything. For heaven’s sake, we can at least secure his grave, which we know for a fact is a playground in a primary school in Nandi where he was from. Maybe we should rename the school where his body is lying at after him, or build a proper mausoleum to celebrate him, either through the county or national Government, following recommendation by this House because we have the powers. I believe there is something that the Committee can recommend. Mr. Speaker, Sir, using the example of the late Hon. Jean Marie Seroney, we can celebrate other greats that came to this Parliament in the course of their work as parliamentarians. As we do our work, we sometimes rub those in the Executive the wrong way. We can use that as a basis to celebrate others, so that long after we are gone from this earth, others will also remember the work that we did while here. That is if we will live to be great and do great things for this county. I thank you."
}