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"speaker_name": "Mr. Musyoka",
"speaker_title": "The Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs",
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"legal_name": "Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka",
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"content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to move:- THAT, this House do now adjourn sine die . Mr. Speaker, Sir, as I move this Motion, I want to say a big thank you to the Almighty God because he has actually kept this country together. I also want to pay tribute to my colleagues because they have truly shown that the Tenth Parliament will go down in the annals of history as one House. Although occassionally vilified, it is one House which is able to stand up to any challenge that comes. Yesterday was a classic example. The House stood together in solidarity to reclaim the dignity of this House. So far, it has been the case that some sections of this country choose to misunderstand the commitment and singleness of purpose with which this House has undertaken its mandate. Mr. Speaker, Sir, when you were sworn in as the Speaker of the Tenth Parliament on 15th January, 2008, we had the occasion to congratulate you together with your deputy. You are able to rise to the occasion and I think the country now appreciates that we have a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker, and indeed, Members of the Speaker's Panel who have served this nation so far so wonderfully. I think the House owes you tonnes and tonnes of gratitude. Mr. Speaker, Sir, about that time, all of us will recall that it was like a nation in a transition. I still think we are still in a transition. However, at that particular time, the crisis facing all of us was staring us in the face. Indeed, it was a case that, eventually, we were all victims and nobody was a victor. But we were able to come together as the Tenth Assembly, since our Independence, and reclaim our country together. I think it is hon. Musyimi who said this morning that many people are saying: \"We want our country back.\" I want to borrow from his contribution. We literally got our country back in a record three months, when history around us proves that when countries go off target, as happened in the case of Somalia in 1991, it can take forever! I want hon. Members to appreciate that, since the overthrow of Siad Barre in 1991, young Somali children who were born so many years ago have not known a thing we call here \"a pen or school\". Instead, they actually know the AK-47 automatic rifle. As a result of the instability in the neighbourhood, we have also actually suffered as a country. So, Mr. Speaker, Sir, we were not as unfortunate as Somalia and other countries that have gone through war. You all remember the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, and what it actually meant in terms of loss of human life. The Gracious Lord is merciful to this country and we were able to reclaim our country. That is why I pay tribute to His Excellency the President. I also want to pay tribute to the Right Honourable Prime Minister, because at that critical time again, they showed leadership and we were able to reclaim our country. Mr. Speaker, Sir, some of us, of course, in our respective roles as Members of Parliament, did the best and, within an absolutely very short time, we were able to come together and work. I appreciate that we have even adopted the culture of a 24-hour economy - a 24-hour working nation. We sat until late last night. That, I think, is also leadership by example! Mr. Speaker, Sir, as we go on recess for Christmas and beginning of the new year, I hope hon. Members realize that we have done one complete session and that, when we resume, possibly sometimes in March, many things may have happened. We have just put in place a Parliamentary Select Committee which should begin its work and fast track the process of the review of our 4184 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 17, 2008 Constitution. I want to suggest that, as soon as they are over with their Christmas holiday, they should get down to serious business We have given them a span of 24 months within which to deliver a new Constitution to this country. We all know that so much depends on the work of that Committee. So much depends on the need to come up with a new Constitution. Mr. Speaker, Sir, so far, during this Session, a total of 22 Bills were introduced in this House, and 17 Bills were actually passed. That, I think, is a record time! Four Bills were read for the First Time and two Bills were read the Second Time. In the period, a total of 81 Motions were introduced. Out of those, 22 were sponsored by the Government and 52 by private Members. A total of 46 Motions were actually adopted."
}