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{
    "id": 123716,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/123716/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 296,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "November 11, 2009 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3753 Mr. Njuguna",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank you very much for the opportunity to also join my colleagues by adding my voice on some of the issues that have been raised. First, I would like to thank the entire delegation for the effective manner in which they represented this Parliament. It was a delegation comprised of heroine and heroes of this nation. We can see the harvest of their labour at this Session. At the end of the Session, individually, all of them were given key positions to lead. This was really a big achievement for this House and country and pride for Africa. This is the spirit that we must exhibit wherever we are mandated to go and represent the interests of this House. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Pan African spirit was laid down by the founding fathers of this continent. You would recall the key roles that were played by the founding father of this nation, the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, the founding father of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah and even Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and George Padmore of the Caribbean. This is the spirit that should be maintained to create greater unity for our continent and even to show the rest of the world that Africa is a serious continent. It can plan its own future well. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when you look at certain issues in Africa, you stand baffled as to what we really should do. In Europe, for their own security, they have the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), which is an alliance for those countries. In Africa, we should create a body of that nature so that when there are emerging security threats, it will address the same issues and contain unnecessary bloodshed like what happened in Burundi and Rwanda and even partly, what we experienced in 2007. So, a “smaller NATO” for the African continent is really important. We have resources that can be used gainfully to create that avenue. When you look at the talents that our men and women have, you would wonder why we have continued to be mismanaged by the European countries. In athletics, we have produced great athletes like Kipchoge Keino and Robert Ouko. Why are our modern-day athletes like Samuel Wanjiru and others being managed by European managers? All that they earn is taken back to Europe. The African voice must be created through an African legislative body so that the ability and experience of our people are not being exploited by foreign bodies. We have great footballers like Samuel Eto’o and Abdou Diouf. What these great players earn is controlled in Europe by UEFA. Why can’t we create an “African UEFA”? We can only have that if we give support to this African legislative body. We note that we have Kenyan Members of Parliament in the Pan African Parliament, but we do not have other nominated persons attending the same. We would like a provision made so that we have persons nominated outside Parliament because of their crucial experience and professionalism attending the Pan African Parliament. They should be allowed to attend these important meetings. We have qualified ladies in this country who can articulate critical issues and participate effectively in the Pan African Parliament. An example is Ms. Njoki Ndung’u. If that provision is made, the voice of Africa will continue to be strengthened."
}