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{
    "id": 186341,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/186341/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 249,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Abdirahman",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 161,
        "legal_name": "Abdirahman Ali Hassan",
        "slug": "abdirahman-ali-hassan"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, thank you very much, for giving me an opportunity to contribute to this Bill. From the outset, I want to say that I support the Bill. It is long overdue. The issue of Constitution making is in the mind of every Kenyan and we really want to see it done today and as early as possible. However, when I reflect on what has happened in the past, it has not been a good road. We very well know that when the NARC Government came to power in 2003, it actually promised to do it in 100 days but that was never achieved. It was never achieved, not because probably there was no political good will from the Head of State, but the number of players who would actually have participated to effectively give Kenyans a good Constitution failed to do so. We actually spent a lot of time talking and putting in a lot of unnecessary hurdles for Kenyans. This time round, it is important as the leadership of this country and as representatives of the people, we help facilitate this Constitution making process. What had actually made us come to this stage is not the ordinary Kenyans but the political leadership. This time round they must show the way so that we can have a Constitution that is going to guarantee all aspects for the good life of Kenyans. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, what we also witnessed during the last referendum in August 6, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2425 this country was not very good. It has polarised Kenyans. Its effect can still be felt today and I think that is what has divided Kenyans all along and I still attribute that to the political leadership. I keep on saying that all the time. Some of the hurdles we went through were actually because of the inability to build consensus amongst the political leadership. Consensus is not about giving one individual his way. It is about compromise. It is about negotiations. It is about being able to bring peoples' divergent views to a level where we are able to achieve our desired goals. This time round, we need to guard that. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, we had a number of contentious issues and I am sure we will quickly go through those hurdles, if we are able to compare notes at any given time. Finally, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, because a number of people had contributed to this and others may still want to do so, the thing that we will really want people to check on is the stakeholders' participation. I agree that the civil society is one big stakeholder. But they should not also forget that they represent people, just as the political leadership represents people. There is no way the civil society alone will help Kenya to achieve a good and a desired Constitution. I will pray that we get a Constitution for this country as quickly as possible. Thank you very much, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker."
}