Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1520649,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520649/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 243,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kericho County, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Beatrice Kemei",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "When it comes to initiation, boys are supposed to be with their fathers and not women, except some special women who are allowed to attend the ceremony. Boys’ initiation is specifically a men’s affair. On women matters, I will not support outdated cultural practices like FGM. That is a thing of the past. I am saying this confidently. We will fight FGM to the end as it has no benefit to the girl child. On marriage, the traditional marriage is going down as it does not mean much. As a community, we are fighting ‘come we stay’ marriages for formal ones that are beneficial to our children. Death is a stage in life that the Kipsigis community takes seriously. Where somebody is buried, who is supposed to carry the casket during the burial ceremony. If a woman has died, a female cow is to be slaughtered. If it is a man, a male cow must be slaughtered. Those are the cultural practices that mean a lot. Currently, our children may not understand much of our culture. I have talked of marriage. Our community is so concerned about who to marry in the sense that people cannot marry from the same clan, or many people with whom they are related by blood. That is incest. Observing such norms is very important. Biologically, it has a meaning. Looking at my culture, marrying from other tribes was not keen. With this Bill, I do not know where inter-marriage will come in. It is going to dilute it in a way. The coming of Christianity to some extent has affected our culture, but one thing that I want to put across is that the use of instruments in church should be appreciated. The use of drums and traditional instruments should be appreciated. Thus to some extent, Christianity should not demonise our culture, especially the instruments that we use in church and other places of worship. Some people pray under trees. There are some shrines and other cultural places of worship that should be appreciated. If it is not a church, then is that place right for worship? As I have said, polygamy in Christianity is not appreciated, and I hold the same when it comes to culture. Some of the cultural practices like FGM and polygamy, should not be embraced. I have heard one Member say that they support polygamy, but I am on the side of Christianity, which does not embrace the practice."
}