Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 184971,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/184971/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 253,
    "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": " Thank you very much, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, for an opportunity to support this Motion. I want to congratulate the 2566 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 8, 2008 Mover. I think the Motion is long overdue. It ought to have been in this House at the dawn of Independence. However, as I do so, I hope others have said that first, the freedom fighters of this country are not limited to Mau Mau. We have many others who fought for Independence. We have Koitalel, Edward Muindi Mbingu, Elijah Masinde and many others but we certainly salute the role Mau Mau played in fighting for Independence. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I agree that these freedom fighters and their families that are still existing, especially those that still live and they must be in their sunset years as the Motion says, must be quite few. I also agree that where possible, they should be given some land but my view would be that we need to address the issue in a little broader level. I think where we are today, we are trying to evolve a new land policy. I hope the Minister will bring it to this Parliament soon. I hope he will try to de-emphasise the issue of land ownership as an end in itself in this country. I think that these freedom fighters should be accorded an opportunity to lead decent lives. We should give them houses whether in urban centres, rural areas or in local markets. These houses should also be supplied with electricity and water paid for by the State. They should also be given house help facilities by employing people to work for them. However, above all, once people get into the 60 plus age bracket, their health also becomes fragile. We must afford these freedom fighters unlimited access to health care so that they can be looked after by the State wherever their health fails them so that they are able to live a little longer. In the event that we have those who have left us already, I think we should have what we tried to do with the late Wamalwa Kijana who passed on; creating a heroes corner. Even where we have buried our heroes elsewhere, we can still have a plaque and memorial for them in the heroes corner so that, at an appropriate time, we can all go there and salute the role they played in the liberation of this country. If we were able to do that, then the shame that we have all suffered, the indignity through which Bildad Kaggia lived and died, will be purged and we shall be forgiven for our omissions. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I also want to urge, particularly, the managers of local authorities and cities that we want to see more monuments, streets and parks named after our heroes so that the future history of this country is not distorted. It does not end up with people known to have been dubious in their characters during the struggle for Independence taking high ground levels with streets, parks and so on named after them, when the real heroes are confined to the back pages of our history. I think a country that wants to move forward must have a solid historical background that is able to be known and remembered by everybody, so that we look to the future with dignity and a lot of hope; that what they founded is what we can build on. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I beg to support."
}