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{
    "id": 1323775,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1323775/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 103,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Nominated, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Irene Mayaka",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "boy. I am aware that they have gone to an extent of collaborating with Google so that they can also have the items online. This is knowledge that many Kenyans do not have. Kenyans are not aware that one does not have to go to the National Museums of Kenya to see some of the country’s artefacts because they are on Google. This is information that needs to be publicised. We need to be at a place where, as a country, we enjoy and love speaking about our culture and the things that are dear to us, which we hold in high regard. It still worries me that we do not have a national attire that quickly identifies us as Kenyans. When a Kenyan goes out of this country to represent Kenya in another country, is there a national attire that identifies one as Kenyan? All we have is our sportsmen and women donning their tracksuits that have the Kenyan flag colours but that is not enough. We need to have a celebrated national outfit that identifies us as Kenyans. When some of us travel outside Kenya, the one thing that identifies us is wearing our Kenyan wristband. This has become a celebration for most Kenyans. For example, if one happens to wear the Kenyan wristband while at Hamad International Airport in Qatar or Dubai International Airport or at any other international airport and meets Kenyans working there, they get excited and engage you. This is because they quickly recognise that you are Kenyan because of that wristband. There was an incident in a country where a young girl had been kidnapped and maimed. What helped the good Samaritans who rescued her is the wristband she had worn. So, they took her to the Kenyan embassy to be identified and helped. Therefore, this is one of the things that identifies us very fast. I encourage this Committee to put the Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage to task. The Ministry needs to provide a database of all the artefacts that identify us directly as Kenyans. This is important so that if someone out there tries to copyright or illegally export stuff that are considered Kenyan culturally, the relevant authorities can flag down such a person for being in violation of the country’s rights. We are all aware that recently, this House passed and confirmed the celebration of 10th October as Huduma Day. The Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage needs to take up the challenge and have this day as a cultural celebration across the whole country. I am aware that the counties take it upon themselves to celebrate their different cultures at the county level but we also need to celebrate our rich diverse culture as Kenyans in general. I do not know how many countries in this world have the level of diversity in culture that we have in this country. We need to celebrate that cultural diversity. As legislators, we need to lead from the front in terms of celebrating and protecting our cultures. We also need to be our brothers’ keepers by ensuring that when anyone violates what is considered Kenyan culture out there, we are the first ones to report the violation to the authorities. It is good that we have this Report. It enables us to make regulations to protect our cultural artefacts. With those few remarks, I support the Report."
}