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{
"id": 1565206,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565206/?format=api",
"text_counter": 146,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Vulnerable children never find their parents when they go home because those parents are out there working to feed them. When those kids do not have activities to do, they end up being lured by guys who ride boda bodas because they have some little money. They are also lured by politicians like us and rich people from the cities. Those kids get mesmerized and before they know it, they are pregnant. It is at that point that they realise what they have just done. We need to ask ourselves the steps we need to take to solve this problem. I know Sen. Mungatana, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, my good friend from Kwale County and I are fathers of girls. This is, therefore, our problem. This is something that we need to take note of. I know the Temporary Speaker is also a father of girls. Most of us here, including the Senate Majority Leader, are fathers of girls. So, what should we do? We should not lament, but rather look at how these girls can remain in school. We, the politicians, always make the statement that no child should be left behind, but the question is; are we investing money in those schools? Are we creating jobs for those kids? This is a time when all of us should be asking ourselves whether we are creating internships opportunities within our own environment. In America where I grew up, you would see a high school child working during school holidays, perhaps at KFC, to raise money. I raised money too; I did two or three jobs to afford school fees. However, that is a problem here. We are not creating jobs. Instead, we are busy fighting between the Senate and the National Assembly on who is superior, yet independent institutions conduct surveys on our children. One such survey examined incidents of induced abortion and related complications. When discussing abortion in this country, one of the biggest concerns raised is the issue of Plan B. A child engages in unprotected sex and is later educated that they can take a pill - Plan B - the following day, and move on. However, who should be the first to educate these children about the dangers of induced abortions? Should it be the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, us or the parents? That is a conversation we need to have. Nowadays, as we focus on lining our pockets, driving big cars and enjoying life, we neglect traditional cultural ceremonies. In the past, the Luhyas would gather for ceremonies. The Kalenjins and Maasais had similar traditions that emphasized the importance of respecting young girls. In the Maasai culture, before a boy is circumcised, he is asked the night before whether he has slept with a woman. If he has, nobody would hold his back. He is called a “ Kithengenyi ”. When we abandoned these traditions, we also stopped truly focusing on their values. Some argue there are health concerns - health concerns, my foot! We need to ask ourselves whether we can return to our traditional cultures. Can we revive the most important tenets that hold this community together? Otherwise, Sen. Mumma will continue lamenting, asking for statistics. She would keep on asking for the statistics for Narok County. Are we going to eat statistics? No. I truly feel the pain my good friend, Sen. Mumma, carries and the passion she has for this issue. However, are we solving the problem? There is only one problem. All of us 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."
}