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"id": 1424208,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1424208/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Kavindu Muthama",
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"speaker": {
"id": 13733,
"legal_name": "Agnes Kavindu Muthama",
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"content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I take this opportunity to thank Sen. Maanzo, Sen. Cherarkey, Sen. (Dr.) Oburu, Sen. Chute, Sen. Mungatana and Sen. Mundigi who have been able to contribute to this Motion. I am very passionate about this Motion and compensation of the victims of the 1998 bomb blast because when you meet them, some are totally blind. They were born seeing just like us, but today, they cannot see and so, they cannot do many things for themselves. They are not even able to work because of the effects of the bomb blast. Others are paralysed on wheelchairs, they cannot even shower on their own. They need help and yet, they have no money or nobody to take care of them. There is one particular lady whose husband died in the bomb blast and she was also involved in it. She was pregnant and she became totally blind. She has given birth to a daughter who she does not even know how she looks like. As if that was not enough, she was also chased away from her matrimonial home. She lives begging for accommodation. It hurts me when I think of how these people live today. Most of them were working, but cannot work today. The majority of them were sacked because they could not deliver at work. Some worked at a Cooperative Bank and others were teachers. Today, they are jobless and begging for food and even medication. We met with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and we requested her to provide medication to these people. I received a message yesterday from one Pamela Ouma requesting me to buy her medication because she is paralysed and she has no medication. Madam Temporary Speaker, even as we seek the amendment of the law from the Senate and the Congress in America to include Kenyan victims in the victims of the state- sponsored terrorist funds, which is not from the taxpayers of America, but the money collected from terrorists, I enlighten this House that the lawyers in America, whom we met with you when we went for prayers, Mussolini, have already sued for some of these victims, about 351 of them. They have been awarded compensation of US$56.6 billion. This money could not compensate these people because Kenya is not included in the terrorist-sponsored fund. That is why we are seeking for the Americans to amend the law to include Kenyans; given that Al Qaeda was not fighting Kenya, but America. We took their bullets and they should be the big brothers that we look upon. America is known for defending human rights. These are humans who need to be compensated. That is their right. America should take up their role and do the right thing. The American Senate and Congress should amend the law and include Kenyans. I am asking our President and the Prime Cabinet Secretary, and Cabinet Secretary for Diaspora and Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Musalia Mudavadi, that as he moves to America, they should talk to them. I was requesting if he could take two or three of us with them on board, so that we can lay our Petition before the Committee, who are ready. Madam Temporary Speaker, you are aware of this. When we went to America, we met Senator Chris Coons who is ready to sit down with the Committee. However, the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has not been able to get us an appointment to meet them. We know that this has to be done diplomatically and through the foreign affairs. If it were in my position, I would do anything to make sure that this is The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}