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{
    "id": 187325,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/187325/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 291,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mrs. Noor",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 375,
        "legal_name": "Sophia Abdi Noor",
        "slug": "sophia-noor"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker. I am not hon. Abdalla. I am hon. Abdi Noor. Thank you, for giving me this chance to contribute to this very important Motion which I feel is very good. I am here to support it. We must appreciate our history, culture and the gatekeeping role that our village elders play. We have had informal traditional governance systems and structures existing across our nation. Hon. Members respect those institutions and they use them when they are in crisis or when they want votes out there. These structures and systems have been very instrumental in supporting the Provincial Administration in performing its duties. These structures are saviour to some of us there in the villages. They solve all the conflicts we have in the villages. In some parts of this country, there are no police stations or courts. The village elders in these areas are the custodians of law. They are the ones who do mediation, peace-keeping and resolve issues that exist at that level. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, these elders play critical roles in peace building, mediation, and conflict management in our society. I would like to share an example in northern Kenya. During the height of insecurity and the fall of Somalia Government, our clan elders took it upon themselves to mobilise people. They conducted door-to-door campaigns to see to it that we return sanity to the region. Those elders risked their lives. They sacrificed for this nation. At the end of the day, nobody rewarded them or appreciated what they did, that is, the critical role they played in mobilising and sensitizing the community on resolving critical issues that would otherwise have harmed this country. The same elders sacrificed their lives to negotiate with war lords in Somalia. When people looted our property, that is, vehicles, livestock and many other things, the elders went to Somalia and negotiated with the Government there for the return of the same. We had the Provincial dministration in place. The chiefs were there! We had all the systems in place, but nobody dared go to Somalia to negotiate with the war lords. These elders sacrificed their lives and they went there to negotiate. It is on record that vehicles and livestock were returned after the successful negotiations by the elders. When our elders sacrificed their lives and yet this country cannot reward them by even telling them, \"Thank you, so much\" it means that we do not appreciate ourselves. It also means that we do not appreciate the key role that our elders play let alone the structures and systems that determine our livelihoods. We are bound to be a nation that does not respect our traditions and customs. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, some hon. Members are worried about the source of funds that will be used to finance the elders. We have wasted a lot of resources in corrupt deals. The money that we wasted in Anglo Leasing and Goldenberg scandals would have really given a lot of rewards to our elders. It would also have resolved many of the problems facing this nation today. Our elders are the best monitors that we have at the village level. Our elders are the ones 2212 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 30, 2008 who look after the vulnerable of the society. They are the ones who assist the vulnerable ones in the society. They go from one door to another to see who is sick in order to help out. They are the best monitor. They render services that cannot be compared to what a Provincial Commissioner (PC) does in a province. A PC just sits in the office to get all the information from this critical elders who play the watchdog role. They monitor and help serving members of our communities. Our elders have really played a critical role in development matters, peace-building and in monitoring issues to ensure that things go in order. With those few remarks, I beg to support the Motion."
}