Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 131065,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/131065/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 371,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. ole Metito",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Regional Development Authorities",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 199,
        "legal_name": "Judah Katoo Ole-Metito",
        "slug": "judah-ole-metito"
    },
    "content": " Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to support this very important Motion. First, I would like to thank the Mover for coming up with this Motion which is very timely and very relevant to what we are talking about now in this country; peace and conflict management. A lot has been said about AMANI Forum. What this Motion is asking this House to do is actually very simple; to give it Parliamentary recognition and give it the legitimacy that it can operate within the legal framework set by this House. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I think this is very important because AMANI Forum, as many speakers have already said, contributes a lot towards the peace and conflict management and resolution in this country. To a large extent, it contributes towards security in this country. Security is very paramount to any investment and development in the Government. AMANI Forum has been in existence since the Eighth Parliament and has done a lot in this country, although it has confined its activities in the North Rift but it has been operating haphazardly and mostly relying on donor funding. This is an organization that cuts across seven countries in this region, as has been said before, and this country is the headquarters or the hub for all its activities. It is very unfair that it does not have offices where other Parliamentary colleagues from the other six countries could trace the activities of AMANI Forum. This is mainly a Parliamentary organ with respect to the achievement of their objectives. Therefore, I think it is the right time that we resolves that the AMANI Forum be given a very competent secretariat with very competent staff with regard to peace building, conflict resolution and management. It should also be given the necessary resources and logistics to even plan inter-country parliamentary activities. If we are the headquarters of the AMANI Forum, it would be good to have, not only regional or national activities, but also for this House to facilitate this forum so that we can reach our parliamentary colleagues in Zambia, Tanzania, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and others. This is in order to have that weight and that legitimacy in the spirit of bringing this region together. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, we are now moving towards a regional block. We have the East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) countries and Southern African Development Community (SADC). Some of SADC members are also members of the AMANI Forum. If this House gives the legitimacy and the support that AMANI Forum requires and facilitate it to the utmost level, it can cut across and bring the regional blocks together. I am very happy to note that AMANI Forum is non-political. It cuts across all political parties in this House. It is also non-ethnic and non-regional. It draws membership from all regions. If you have been keen and listening to Members’ contribution, they said that they are members of AMANI Forum. You will agree that they have been brought together by one principle and one objective which is to have peace in this country and"
}