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{
"id": 1442857,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1442857/?format=api",
"text_counter": 53,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
"speaker": {
"id": 13165,
"legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
"slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
},
"content": "take their children either to public primary, secondary, or even university, because education system is completely broken. The picture of the primary schools that we all went to, while it served and it worked at that particular time, public education is broken at this time. We must make radical decisions because that is what they are speaking to. They are saying: “While you guys are okay, what about a child of the ordinary person?” Every time I lost sleep as I thought about the issues that we have been through as a country, I asked myself where it is that we, as leaders, have lost touch with reality. I did not grow up as a child of privilege for your information. I am 38 years old. I came to this Parliament at the age of 29. I spent the first 29 years of my life deep in the slums in Eastlands. I used to sell simsim like the children you see as you drive on our roads such as Ngong Road. Many times when I see them, I reflect back, roll down my windows and share with them because I know they are complementing what their parents are doing. That is what sends those children out to the streets. I know what it feels like, but why is it that when granted such an opportunity, we are not able to make it better? This is what we are being told as leaders. I believe that an opportunity to serve is to be reminded that we have issues, but they look at someone and think they have wisdom and ability to make it work for all of them. As you serve, can you make it possible for the rest of us to enjoy? Unfortunately, either by design or because that is what the country is accustomed to, when we get the first line at the queue, we do not think about the second, third and onwards queues. We are satisfied that so long as I have had my serving at the table, that should be enough. That is what people are complaining about. We are here to plead this morning. Grant us the opportunity to lead the country as the Senate of Kenya in making right and correct decisions, so that we do not lose our country. I say this at this particular time, so that people may know that in whatever we say and do, anarchy is not an option. I wish to plead even to those leading these protests and demonstrations that if Kenya was to sink, unfortunately, nobody will be spared; not even them. I like the fact that many people have begun speaking out and saying that there are certain conditions that you must meet as a person in some of the solutions they are prescribing. When you listen to what is being said in online spaces, you can clearly see that some of the solutions will get us into more problems than we already we in. Unfortunately, they are being prescribed on us by people who are not within the borders of Kenya. Like I have said, it is not time to apportion blame and point fingers. It is time to lead the country and point them to the right direction. What our young people have done is that they have perhaps painted better than Galileo could ever paint a picture perfect of the reality of what it means to live in the Republic of Kenya today. Nobody could have done it any better. Therefore, we are duty- bound as an institution to lead. Corruption has featured prominently in this conversation. In fact, at the heart of it, perhaps the Finance Bill was just, but a trigger. The bigger conversation that the country is having is on the issue of corruption and what we need to do. 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."
}