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{
"id": 1516781,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1516781/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
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"content": "Hon. Members, as you are aware, the election of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 15th February 2025, at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Kenya has fronted a candidate in the person of the Rt. Hon. Raila A. Odinga, EGH, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya. From the onset, I take this opportunity to wish the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga success in the election. I have previously worked with Hon. Raila Odinga, both here in Parliament as well as in Cabinet over the last two decades and I am convinced that in him Africa will have a great and visionary leader as we gear up to the actualisation of the African Union Agenda 2063. Certainly, a win for Hon. Raila Odinga will be a win not only for the country and Africa but also for the larger international fraternity, given his proven track record on human rights, democracy, and integration. As the National Assembly, following a request from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have a delegation of four Members travelling to Addis Ababa in solidarity with the Kenya candidate. The Delegation is being led by the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence & Foreign Relations, Hon. Nelson Koech, CBS. Others include: 1. Hon. Haika Mizighi, CBS, the Chairperson, Diaspora Affairs & Migrant Workers Committee; 2. Hon. Maj. (Rtd) Abdullahi Bashir Sheikh, Vice-Chairperson Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence & Foreign Relations; and, 3. Hon. Millie Odhiambo, CBS, the Minority Party Whip, who joins the team in her capacity as a Member of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence & Foreign Relations I am also aware that other Members of the National Assembly will be travelling to Addis Ababa as part of the leadership and citizens of the country in solidarity with and support of the candidature of Hon. Raila Odinga. Indeed, in line with the provisions of the Standing Orders, I have received around 40 notifications from Members intending to attend the activity. For clarity, these Members will be travelling in their private capacities as citizens and leaders and, therefore, will be self-sponsored. We laud them for that patriotic duty. It is important to note that it is not unusual for citizens of a country, including Members of Parliament, to sponsor themselves to such high-level international fora. Hon. Members, I say so because you have seen the usual barrage against Parliament that it has sent 100 Members to Addis Ababa. We can even all go if we can sponsor ourselves. However, Parliament does not have the resources to sponsor 100 Members. Let us give some foot-thumping to those who have bought their tickets and gone to Addis Ababa."
}