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{
    "id": 1519024,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1519024/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 233,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sifuna",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13599,
        "legal_name": "Sifuna Edwin Watenya",
        "slug": "sifuna-edwin-watenya"
    },
    "content": "There are people who want to use this so-called celebration in Nyeri. When I watched that clip, there were two mama mbogas at a market in Karatina. When people speak about it, you can think it was the entire region of Mt. Kenya. The most annoying and saddest thing were attempts by leaders, some in very senior positions in Parliament, trying to extrapolate and make it look like it is the people of the mountain celebrating Raila’s loss. These are the issues that bring division in our country. As the Secretary-General (SG) of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), I am aware that for the first time in the last election, Raila Odinga got over one million votes in Mt. Kenya. You cannot tell me that those one million people in Mt. Kenya can be lumped together with those who do not support the politics of Raila Odinga. These are the issues we must deal with. We must speak in a way that ensures that we remain cohesive as a society and do not marginalise anyone. Madam Temporary Speaker, I want to conclude by speaking to the speculations. There are people who want to put words into Raila’s mouth. When Raila Odinga wanted to run for elections in 2022, he called a major rally. I was present at that rally at Kasarani. He announced himself that he wanted to vie for the President of the Republic of Kenya. When he wanted to run for the AUC position, he himself called for a press conference. I remember seeing the former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, at that press conference. He told us with his own mouth what he wanted to do. Therefore, when Baba wants something, he will tell us himself. There are people who have abrogated themselves the role of speaking for Raila Odinga and telling him that they will look for a space to accommodate him. Baba has many roles. He is the partly leader of ODM; he is the leader of opposition; he is a father, husband and grandfather. He is not idle because he has things to do. I have even seen colleagues from this Senate proposing things like amending the Constitution just to look for a position for Raila. What do you mean? In fact, as the father of this Constitution, it insults Raila greatly if you stand up and say you are going to amend it, just to look for a seat for him. That is not what he fought for. That is not why he fought for this Constitution. It is the leader of the country today who told us during the campaigns that for a change, we must stop looking for positions for leaders. Let us start with the mamambogas, boda boda persons and other people because all this time we have been talking about leaders. I want to say without fear of contradiction that if “Baba” wants something, he will tell us himself. All these people running around and saying they will look for this or that, how do you know? Has he told you he is interested? He has a mouth to speak for himself. Madam Temporary Speaker, do you know that despite I being the Secretary General of ODM, I do not speak for Raila? He has his spokespersons. I speak for organs of the party for which he is a member. I cannot speak for Raila Odinga because he has his own mouth and spokespersons. We feel insulted as members of ODM when people run around looking for small seats here and saying they want to propose him for this or that. It is entirely disrespectful 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."
}