Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 140039,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/140039/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 336,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we look at the history of mankind, indeed, one of the greatest Generals of all time in military history, Napoleon, was a little man of less than five feet tall. Indeed, he was a little man from a little island called Corsica. Napoleon was known as the Little Corporal from the little island of Corsica. He was an army officer in 1785. At a very young age, as short as Napoleon was, he was appointed Brigadier-General in 1793. As short as Napoleon was, he led armies and conquests across Europe as one of the greatest Generals mankind had ever seen. His conquests were not only in Europe, but also across Africa. History tells us that Napoleon was in Egypt. Napoleon came to Syria. Napoleon conquered until the harsh winter of Russia subdued him and his armies. It had nothing to do with his height. The man was a great General and a great genius. As little as he was, the petite General was a great soldier. Therefore, I do not understand on what basis we can discriminate against the Kenyan who is less than five feet six inches that they cannot join our army, police or administration police force, simply because they are of a height shorter than that prescribed. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is discrimination. When you look at China or go to Japan, indeed, these are great armies. However, they are very short people. They are shorter than our prescription here. Therefore, on what basis must we insist that Kenyan army soldiers or police must be at least five feet nine inches? On what basis? Our Constitution does not provide for that on the basis that this would discriminate against a Kenyan. We support this Motion that time has come. Whatever we did as a nation, we inherited from our colonial masters. I have no doubt that this particular provision was also inherited. Our military has been and is still being trained at Sundhurst. Indeed, we inherit not only our laws but also traditions from Britain. The time has come when we must start to de-colonize our minds and institutions, starting from the military to the police and saying that any Kenyan is capable of being anything in this country. We have colonial relics in our laws. I was very surprised when in the course of touring my constituency, I came across a young man who had just completed his Fourth Form. He went to apply for an identity card. He was asked to fill a form which asked, what tribe are you? What tribe was your grandmother and grandfather? What clan are you? They even asked him; which is your door? Mlango wenu ni gani ? The young man did not know what door the good chief was talking about. The young man told the chief, “ Mlango wetu ni wa blue”. This means their door was blue and his friend Kip’s door was yellow. The chief did not understand. But, of what use is this to our young Kenyans who were born in independent Kenya? These are Kenyans who do not know the issue of clans and doors. Because the colonial master left this in our laws, up to now, we are still using those old colonial relics that are still in our statutes. Time has come when we must remove them. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, that is not only found in the registration of persons. The young man said: “I am a Kenyan, my door is blue”. Indeed, a day must come when we must be able to give this generation a chance to de-tribalise. Indeed, this"
}