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{
    "id": 1442472,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1442472/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 173,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Veronica Maina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "which are secured such as Parliament and State House. They were well guided not to interfere with the integrity of the institutions. The morning section was good. I was in the House and we were conducting business as usual. Nonetheless, we could hear tear gas being thrown in different parts because of the heavy masses that had gathered. What started well in the morning as an exercise of that right was breached somewhere in the middle of the day. This is when there were other demonstrators who came in and their intention seemed to have been altered from the initial conversation, which was headed by the Generation Z. Unfortunately, the masses wanted to break down into Parliament and they started burning things. I could see some people who were even in the dining area having the lunch that was served there. Having the lunch may not be a big deal because that may be money that is from the taxpayers coffers and which the Members by the way usually pay for when they take a plate of food there. Mr. Speaker, Sir, those who have visited Parliament on a normal day know that they are always free to have that lunch anytime they are cleared at the gate to visit. Parliament has never denied access to any member of the public to a visit the institution once they give the notice. What was very worrying was the criminal intention that rode with the demonstration. The police were cornered. It is very sad and I am very saddened as a mother and as a leader in this nation, to imagine that one teenager or one young person lost their life yesterday and we deeply condole with those families. That was never the intention and should never have been the intention of that demonstration. There is an apparent conflict right here and it is normal for a family, community and institutions to have conflicts. How do we resolve those conflicts? Any institution or family that is not able to resolve conflicts in a timely fashion and in a manner where people feel listened to ends up very poorly. If it is a couple, there will be a divorce. If it is a family, there can be a breakup. If it is an institution, people go different ways. The reason we need this short break now is because we need to have a serious conversation. This serious conversation is not about us and them. It should be a Kenyan conversation. We must take time now to listen to one another and hear what these grievances are and how they can be resolved. Does the Constitution offer a pathway for people to resolve these conflicts? I want to say this to our children because the Generation Z are our children. The same Constitution that gave you Article 37, gives a ventilation mechanism in the event that you have issues you want to ventilate to Parliament. You can do a petition and peaceably present it at the gate. That petition is taken, debated, sent to a Committee, members of the public are invited and they bring their views. I want to assure the Generation Z, the leaders who have been voted in this House represent the views and the rights of the Kenyans, so that we do not have the integrity of institutions such as Parliament, which are constitutional bodies, being degraded to a point where people feel that they need to walk, burn a few things and then maybe they will be heard. That is the wrong approach. 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."
}