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{
"id": 147642,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/147642/?format=api",
"text_counter": 412,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Mwiria",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology",
"speaker": {
"id": 190,
"legal_name": "Valerian Kilemi Mwiria",
"slug": "kilemi-mwiria"
},
"content": "I want to begin by saying that this is a great idea, but its time has not come. For sure, very good points have been made as to why we need to go around the country. Issues related to national unity have been mentioned. We need to see the rest of the country so that we can appreciate who we are. There are also issues about our poverty and understanding what happens elsewhere; for example, people not knowing where Kulamawe or Migingo Island are located. I also agree that the Kenyan public and hon. Members of Parliament need to go around the country. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I also empathize with those who have spoken about the logistics involved and the issues about time; one time you are behaving like a nomadic Parliamentarian. Today you are headed this way and then the next week, you are going somewhere else. We must not think about just the money, but also the time and the logistics involved in organizing all that. Let us also not forget that even when we go to a Session of Parliament in Eldoret, Kisumu, Mombasa and other places, the point has already been made and the public is complaining a great deal. How will we go to spend money out there? Just imagine, if we have to have so many trips across the country with all the support that you need to make that possible as a Parliament, including the HANSARD and so on, I think we are only opening ourselves to more criticisms from the public at a time when the country is really bleeding. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, yes, it is important for us to tour, but do we want Parliament to finance our touring? I think it is very unfortunate that Members of Parliament have the courage to say that they have only known 80 per cent of the country since they became MPs. I think it is shameful! What was preventing us from touring the country? Then, what kind of example are we to the rest of the public, if we do not encourage domestic tourism, even to those who do not become Members of Parliament? I think this is a statement on Kenya, in general, and it is an appreciation of how much more we need to do to appreciate this great country. It does not require only 210 Members of Parliament, whom Kenyans perceive to be privileged, to be the ones who have the opportunity to benefit from that. We can involve this idea, and that is why I am saying it is a great idea, and, maybe, begin to think about issues related to whether we have a few alternative centres to begin with, like a few provincial capitals. But we also need to remember that even that does not necessarily take care of the majority of the people, who will still be out there in remote outposts in the country. Meanwhile, what are some of the possibilities? If the problem of Members of Parliament is that they do not know the rest of the country, what would prevent us from having an orientation session when we come to Parliament? Why can we not have one week, not just talking about the Standing Orders, but just being told about this country; the geography, history, politics, people and the different problems that people are facing as a way of getting us to begin to appreciate the"
}