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{
    "id": 174502,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/174502/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 25,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Khalwale",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 170,
        "legal_name": "Bonny Khalwale",
        "slug": "bonny-khalwale"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I would also like to support this Motion and wish to take this opportunity to congratulate Members of this House who supported my amendment Motion yesterday. This is because without it, the House Business Committee (HBC), Cabinet and leaders of the political parties in this country would not have found it necessary to be informed by the kind of contributions that have been made by Members on the Back-Bench and the kind of changes which we welcome that have taken place. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to tell the Members who have found their names on the list that the expectations of this House are going to be extremely high. Also, the expectations of the country are extremely high as evidenced by the so many changes in the Constitution of Kenya that December 17, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 4177 we have made in so short a time. This means that both the House and the country are in the reform mood. So, we must make sure that, yes, indeed reforms must take place. I would like to urge that the real benchmark for the reform initiative and the reform mood in the country should be the realisation of the new Constitution. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would not want to sit down without reminding our leaders both on this particular Select Committee and in Cabinet that reforms in our laws are good and welcome but the Government must deliberately also make reforms in all aspects of the social fabric of the Republic. This is because when one remembers what has happened over the recent past, one realises that we must be as the leadership of this country, doing something wrongly or falling short of the glory of leadership. That the President and Prime Minister of the Republic could be subjected to the kind of humiliation you saw at the stadium during Jamhuri Day means that the citizenry of this country feels that the leadership is not delivering. We want to urge the Government to make sure that the important issues that wananchi are raising are addressed. If we can reform the Constitution of Kenya, then indeed, we can take charge of the price of foodstuffs in this country so that wananchi can afford them. We can take charge of the cost of fuel and medicines in hospitals so that wananchi can have access to them. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have all seen the media bashing us. The media has given the country the impression that all their problems are because Members of Parliament are not paying tax on their allowances. Yes, it is true that payment of tax on those allowances will bring in some money but members of the public should be reminded that, that amount of money is like a drop of salt in the ocean. The Government must give more if we can change and compromise this much. Why can we not as a House resolve now that we reduce the size of the Cabinet from 42 to 20 so that the cost of running the Government is affordable to the taxpayer?"
}