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{
"id": 184974,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/184974/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Imanyara",
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"id": 22,
"legal_name": "Gitobu Imanyara",
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"content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker. I will take less than five minutes to give my friends an opportunity. This country has a history of forgetting those who sow, at the time of harvest. This is a legacy that we inherited at Independence. It has been said here that those who are sitting in authority over us today are the fourth beneficiaries of the struggle for Independence. The time has come for us to put right this historical wrongs that have been with us for the last 45 years. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I feel sad when I hear people talking about Da Gama Pinto being the first case of political assassination. The very first political assassinations in this country occurred shortly after Independence after those who came from the forests challenged Kenyatta. They asked him if the status quo was what they had fought for. I know Field Marshal Baimungi from my constituency and General Chui. Kenyatta was so angry that he ordered them shot. When we talk about political assassinations, the very first ones were committed by an Independent Government of Kenya. This has been continued. So, the assassinations of Pinto, J.M. Kariuki and Ouko were a continuation of the wrongs that have been committed by the very first Government. I want to congratulate Mr. Mututho for coming up with this Motion. It is not just about the Mau Mau. It is not just about those who fought for Independence, but those who have continuously struggled to uphold the ideals for which the original fighters went to battle. I am talking about people who spent days, weeks and months in Nyati House. We have forgotten them. Some of them are in this House. Because of the precedence of forgetting those who are responsible for the gains and the fruits of Independence, we ran the risk again of forgetting even those who will come after ourselves. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, although this Motion talks about the freedom fighters at Independence, it should be broad enough to include those like the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Masinde Muliro, Titus Adungosi, John Khaminwa, Mohammed Ibrahim and all those people who have continuously defended the ideals for which this country fought for. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I agree that this need not take the form of 2.5 acres of land. Compensation can take many forms. There should be freedom of choice on the part of the freedom fighters, their successors and families to decide whether they want monetary compensation, land or awards. In three days' time, we should be reading in the Kenya Gazette about the awards of EGH, CGH, MBS. If you go through that list, you will not see a single freedom fighter honoured. The people who are responsible for preparing these lists are civil servants who sit in some Government offices and who have continuously sat there. Even before Independence, they were still civil servants. They do not appreciate the role of freedom fighters in this country. So, when you read the Kenya Gazette, you will see that the people who are getting the EGH awards are Provincial and District Commissioners. They are given the OGW awards, but the people who deserve to be honoured are never honoured. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I agree that every year, as a Parliament, we should insist to see what budget allocation has been set aside for the freedom fighters in the annual Budget. As we congratulate Mr. Mututho for moving this important Motion, we need to cast our eyes wider, so that we can recognise the men, women, children and the wives who were left behind when their husbands were in detention camps. We need to widen the scope. Every time the President addresses the nation on Madaraka days, he should start by observing a minute of silence in honour of those who made it possible for him to be addressing the nation on those days. With those few remarks, I wish to support this Motion and ask the hon. Members to pass it without further ado."
}