Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1359055,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1359055/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 162,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Saku, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Ali Raso",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Let me congratulate the Committee led by Hon. Nelson Koech for this Report. I think for the first time the way the interviews are conducted, and the way the reports are filed it is very clear that they are able to match the individual nominee to the qualification or the experience they bring to this particular docket. I also want to thank His Excellency the President for the list of diplomats that he has selected to be approved by this House. He has clearly looked at the face of Kenya and gender. In this particular case, we have 10 women out of 27. I think this in itself meets the one-third threshold that we have always been fighting for. They also represent the face of Kenya and regional balance. It is a mix of people from industry, academia, public and also career diplomats. When you pick somebody like Ambassador Orina, who was the Director- General at the MFA, to go to our mission in Addis Ababa, it simply means somebody has thought through it. Addis Ababa is the most important mission. Not that there are other missions that are not important, but in this particular case, it is in the heart of Africa where 53 other diplomats are going to sit. So, for that reason, I think somebody has been thinking through this. I want to take specific names in particular Ms Sabdiyo Dido Bashuna, a lady from rural Marsabit, the sub county of North Horr. I think she happens to be the first female who has been appointed an ambassador from that region. We really thank the President for this particular lady who is a trailblazer and also a champion for the issues of youth, gender and empowerment. I would also wish to recognise fellows like Col. Rtd. Shem Amadi, Lt. Gen Albert Kendagor, Hon. Kubai Iringo and Dr Wilson Kogo. These are individuals who have sound professional footing. They bring a wealth of experience to those particular dockets of diplomacy. The issue of diplomatic representation is to establish a home away from home. As we visit the different countries around the world when we meet our embassies, the staff and the ambassadors it means we are meeting one of our own. As they work in those countries, they must know that they are representing everybody. They are representing the Head of State of this country in that country of assignment. Secondly, they are the face of Kenya out there. My colleagues have talked about the dilapidated nature of our embassies, underfunded, underrepresenting us, not able to do most of what we expect them to project including economic diplomacy, cultural diplomacy and also allowing Kenyans to access those countries for opportunities. We have created the Department of Diaspora in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I think it is not lost on us that our diaspora remits so much back to the economy. That is why our ambassadors or our diplomats must really look after the welfare of Kenyans wherever they are. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}