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{
    "id": 1354527,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1354527/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 353,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Marakwet West, Independent",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Timothy Kipchumba",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this very important Motion. At the outset, I wish to thank the Member of Parliament for Webuye West, Hon. Dan Wanyama, for bringing this very substantive subject that he has brought before this House for debate. The 1970 UNESCO Convention is a very important convention that we have no choice as a House and as a country but to ratify. Under Article 11 of the Constitution, culture has been given a constitutional anchorage. Culture has been anchored in the Constitution. The Article provides in very clear terms that culture is the foundation of the nation and the cumulative civilization of our country. Therefore, we have no choice but to ratify the convention. It is already provided for in the Constitution and we must protect it. In Kenya, we are losing our culture at a very alarming rate. We have lost our indigenous languages. Today, our children cannot speak the indigenous languages. This is something we need to work on as a country. I have read this Convention. It basically talks about repatriation of artefacts that were illegally taken away from this country. During the colonisation of this country and after the Berlin Conference, our culture was desecrated. Some artefacts from various communities were taken to Europe and other countries in the world. As a House, it is high time we acceded to this Convention and ratified it. As we speak, 144 countries have already ratified and acceded to it. As a Commonwealth country that believes in international law, it is high time we ratified and gave effect to Article 2(6) of the Constitution. It provides very clearly that any treaty or international law that is ratified becomes part of the laws of Kenya. That way, artefacts that were taken away during the colonial regime will be returned to this country. So, we shall have our sanctity and integrity returned to where it was before colonialism. We must also be aware, as we ratify, that we still have our indigenous laws that are provided for by the National Museum and Heritage Act. Once we pass this Convention, we must align our laws with this international law which we are adopting. We have no choice as a House, but to ratify this Convention and accede to it. That way, we will become part of the community of nations – the 144 countries that have ratified. Also, we will be in a position to restore our culture to its default settings. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker."
}