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{
"id": 1456585,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1456585/?format=api",
"text_counter": 3975,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Suba North, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Millie Odhiambo-Mabona",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Having said that, I thank Gen. Zs for the revolution. I know many of us have diverse views about it. As a person who has been in this struggle for many years, I want to say that very interesting things that happened out of it. That includes bringing us to a unique situation where we are actually doing a Supplementary Budget before we have implemented the Budget. I do not think this has ever happened in this country. I encourage us, as Members of Parliament that, sometimes, when we have gone through the challenging parts and we feel like we are in a secure place, we forget where we have come from. For the first time, let us not forget that there have been Gen Zs across. Some who were our children are our grandchildren. I raised the alarm on this Floor before the 25th. It came to pass because we do not listen sometimes. We think we have all the answers when we are leaders. We do not! We have a generation that is experiencing life differently. Sometimes, they are also experiencing what we did. It is just that we have forgotten we need to listen to them. Yesterday, I was meeting my cousin who was visiting me from Canada. Her daughter has pierced her nose, with a ring on it. I wanted to complain on why she had a ring on her nose. Before I could raise my voice, I was reminded that I had one once upon a time. I had even forgotten that I had a ring on my nose. I was asking the person whether I did. I was told: “Yes you did.” Hon. Temporary Speaker, I was so thrilled to just sit back and see myself from another perspective when I saw all the scenes of the Gen. Zs for the first time. I was on the street and lying down with police guns hoovering over me when I was that age. Why? Although I appreciate all the things they are saying, that age makes you think that you can change the world and you must change it now. For us who are older, we must listen to the idealism of the youth because we need it as a country, and we infuse it with our realism. That is the only way we can take the country forward. That is why I am happy that they forced us to bring this Supplementary Estimates that is speaking to some of the things that we have been saying before. I have been listening very carefully to some of the things that those Gen. Zs are saying. They say very simple things. Today we had an opportunity. Some of us who are women Members of Parliament were in a function with some of the Gen. Zs, and I carried my grandchild along. She is very young. I did not think she could speak before people, but she challenged us by saying that we people are telling them that they are rich children with mobile phones. And she asked us if we wanted poor children to be the ones demonstrating about their poverty. They say in very simple terms, but very poignant. Do we want the poor children to be the ones demonstrating about their poverty? If you can unpackage what that means, even if they are privileged, and it takes me back to this Budget. Whenever we budget, we do not do a realistic budget. This Budget, for the first time, is attempting to be realistic. The only challenge I am facing with this Budget is the implementation of austerity measures. Unfortunately, whenever we budget, we do not take certain principles into account. The principles of gender equity, equity, marginalisation and inclusion and the converse inclusion. It is not just that we do not take it during budgeting. We also do not take that into account during the budget cuts. Who do we look for? The same way men are dishing out these seats to themselves, is the same way when the budget comes, we start slashing things to do with women, children and youths. I have pointed it out to my Budget and Appropriations Committee. I am glad that our Committee has listened and has returned some. We want to encourage you men, please, listen to us. This country is not about you alone. There are other people in this country. There are women in this country. Whether you are budgeting or doing cuts, can you look at how it impacts on women, children, youths and persons with disabilities? It is even embarrassing. I am glad we shared it with the Bishop who spoke before me. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}