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{
    "id": 177527,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/177527/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 195,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Wetangula",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Foreign Affairs",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 210,
        "legal_name": "Moses Masika Wetangula",
        "slug": "moses-wetangula"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, Mr. C. Kilonzo also wanted to know the circumstances surrounding the presence of Somalia hon. Members in Kenya. As I had said in the first Statement, at this IGAD Summit, members of the Somalia Transitional Federal Parliament were invited to come and join the region in trying to find a way of helping the failed state of Somalia to find a way forward in resolving the endless disputes and conflicts in that country. Two hundred and seventy eight hon. Members of the Parliament came to Kenya with the assistance of the European Union (EU), which paid their fares. The EU had also undertaken to pay their per diem for being in Kenya. After the meeting, the hon. Members declined to leave the country and constantly requested to be allowed to stay in Kenya a little longer. My Ministry and the Government communicated to them, that it was desirable that they go back to their country and face the challenges that face their people. It was necessary that they went back to their Parliament and carried out their legislative duties as directed by the IGAD Summit. To date, over 178 hon. Members of the Somalia Transitional Federal Parliament are still in Kenya. Last Sunday I met the Somalia President and his hon. Members, and told them that while we welcome them in Kenya, and encourage them to treat it as their second home, as they have always done, it was the feeling of the region and the Kenya Government that their continued presence in Kenya was undesirable and unhelpful to their cause, because they were required to go back to their country. As I speak, they are still in Kenya; they have not gone. We will continue encouraging them to go; if they do not, then there is the alternatives that we can take of suspending their visas, so that they can go back home."
}