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{
    "id": 1476123,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1476123/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 36,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kilifi North, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Owen Baya",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hon. Speaker, Ms. Akida is an exceptional professional Kenyan footballer born in Kilifi, a place where many people would not expect to produce football talents. Despite the misconception and strong cultural obstacles to women football, Ms. Akida defied the odds to become Kenya’s most decorated female footballer of her time. Her hope in football was sparked by Moving the Goalposts Organisation, a sport for development organisation that empowers girls and young women in Kilifi and Kwale. It is there that she honed her football skills, played for Moving the Goalposts (MTG) United in the National Women League and later joined Thika Queens, now Kenya Police Bullets; Matuu FC, formerly the National Youth Talent Academy and Spedag FC. She has also had successful international stints at Ramat HaSharon in Israel, Besiktas J.K in Turkey and Club PAOK Thessaloniki in Greece, her current club. Ms. Akida established herself as a skilful clinical striker. She became the all-time leading goal scorer for the Harambee Starlets and the first to score for Kenya at the Africa Women Cup of Nations Champions in 2016. She was also awarded the top scorer for the 2016 COTIF Women Football Tournament in Valencia, Spain, having scored five goals for the Harambee Starlets in four matches. Additionally, she scored a hat-trick in Harambee Stars' 3-0 win against Benfica Football Women Club and contributed to the scoring of two goals in the 3-1 win against Española Women at the 2016 COTIF Women Football Club. Beyond her sports achievement, Ms. Akida founded the Esse Akida Foundation in Kilifi to support communities in nurturing football talents. In recognition of her immense contribution and inspiration to girls and young women in pursuit of their destinies, the County Government of Kilifi crowned Ms. Akida with the Youth Heroine of Kilifi County Award in 2016. Ms. Akida is an inspirational personality who has gone beyond playing football and authored a book called ‘Chained’. The inspiring book details the challenges that she has had to surmount to realise the triumphs that she has made in her pursuit of football stardom against cultural expectations. It is on the basis of those spectacular achievements by Ms. Esse Akida, who is in the House today, that I sought your indulgence to recognise her and record my tribute in her honour in this august House. I thank you, Hon. Speaker. The said Ms. Akida is in the House."
}