Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1370419,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1370419/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 163,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "important role of the SBC, especially in scheduling business and ensuring this House has business to transact. Mr Speaker, Sir, I also join my colleagues in paying tribute to the departed friend and world record holder, Kelvin Kiptum together with his coach. They unfortunately met their demise two nights ago. As a country, we are in mourning. This young man had a life full of promise. It was a great career ahead of him. Many of us who are fans of athletics were looking forward to the duel between him and Eliud Kipchoge in the Paris Olympics. It is unfortunate that as fate would have it, Kiptum will not be there. Of course, we need to learn lessons. We have to ask ourselves what we can do. Many of our athletes have departed in this particular way. Some of the world-beaters were lucky to survive. Remember in 2003, Rudisha at the prime of his career also had a similar incident. He ended his career with an injury from which he never recovered. This includes many other young athletes. It points out to a lack of mentorship or something that you could do to these young people who do so much for us as a country, yet we pay them so little. Many times, we remember them when they have passed on like we have seen. Mr Speaker, Sir, you remember Samuel Wanjiru met his death in almost similar circumstances of an accident that could not be explained. It is unfortunate. Although our country is blessed with abundant talent, there is a lesson in there for us. There is a lot more that we need to do, other than just celebrate, tweet and take pictures with our stars when they return from victory. We need to invest in them as well. Kenyans are saying many things and we must learn to listen. I saw the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports visited the home of Kiptum yesterday. We look forward to hearing what we as a country have learned over time because this is not the first athlete we have lost at the peak of their career. Many of them have found themselves in even love triangles, which have ended their lives at a very young age. Fair thee well, Kiptum! We would have wished to have you longer. I was certain as a fan of athletics that this gentleman was going to do the sub-two in a competitive marathon. I thought that was going to happen in this year's Olympics. It is unfortunate, but such is the fate of man. Many are our plans but unfortunately, not all of them come to pass. Lastly, I urge my colleagues that we take our work seriously as the Senate. Last week, I had the opportunity to address staff of the Directorate of the Speakers Office and certain very grim statistics were read out to us. I wish I had mentioned this when the House was a bit fuller when we began this Session. This is the first time that the Senate has been adjourned close to ten times for lack of quorum in the last two sessions. I hope we do not have a repeat of that because there is nobody who came to this House unopposed. All of us competed with somebody who felt that they deserved a better chance to represent the very people that we represent here. Ordinary citizens woke up early, queued, voted and said that they put their trust in Sen. Oketch Gicheru to speak on my behalf in the Senate. It cannot be that the same Sen. Oketch Gicheru cannot find just"
}