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"id": 191780,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Ogindo",
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"legal_name": "Martin Otieno Ogindo",
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"content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this Bill that seeks to establish the National Ethnic and Race Relations Commission. This Bill has come as a result of the post-election violence that we had. I rise to oppose the establishment of this Commission. As we speak today, we have the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR). I think that Commission deals with human rights here in Kenya. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, we have very many laws in this country. I know that Parliament is in the business of making laws. It is important every law we make, we do it for the good of this country. If we will not respect our primary laws that we already have, then there is no point coming up with other laws. This is because it is due to the same impunity that we have lost respect for the existing laws. Therefore, we shall still have no respect for future laws. I think, we, as a country, need very few laws. One of the laws that we need is the law of love. I do not know how we will legislate that. The other law that we need in this country is the law of fairness. The other one that we need is the law of equity. All the ethnic tensions and violence that came up were as a result of inequity and skewed distribution of resources and positions in this country. I wish to bring to the attention of this House the fact that unless we inculcate the culture of love amongst us all as Kenyans, then no amount of written laws will bring us together. It goes up to the villages and within the ethnic groups. If there is no fairness in the distribution of resources and positions, even the Luos, Kikuyus and Kambas will fight amongst themselves. Instead of coming up with a law to establish this Commission, I think we need to deal with the primaries. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I want to take this House back to early times this year. July 1, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1517 After the elections, it was agreed under the National Accord and Reconciliation Act that we share the Government. It is important that things be seen to be shared fairly and equitably. The only route left for this country is to come up with a law that establishes a quota system that takes care of the welfare of all Kenyans. I want to see a quota system that ensure that the Turkanas, Kikuyus, Rendiles, Kambas, Luos and every other tribe get their corresponding equatable share of the resources of this Republic. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the other key factor that fans ethnic tension is the distribution of jobs and positions in this country. If you go to some Ministries, you will find a situation where members of a single ethnic community run from top to bottom. I want to see a law in this country that will say, \"no three successive members of the same ethnic community will run in a rank.\" We want to see a situation where if we have the Permanent Secretary coming from one ethnic community, that precludes the same ethnic community from becoming the director in the same Ministry. When it comes to the distribution of Ministerial positions, I want to see a law that will say that the Minister for Finance will not be from the same ethnic community as the President. I want to see a situation where the Governor of Central Bank will not come from the same ethnic community with the Minister for Finance. If we do that, then we will be building a Kenya for all Kenyans. If we see positions and resources in Kenya equitably distributed, then there will be love amongst Kenyans. But if we go the route of establishing a Commission to deal with ethnic and racial relations, in all fairness, we will be shadow-boxing. We know where we have come from and the causes. It is important that we deal with the causes of ethnic and racial tensions. The only way to do that is to share resources and positions of this Republic fairly. You will remember in the run- up to the formation of the Grand Coalition Government, certain Ministries were being fenced away from one side of the Coalition, and that created tension. It is in that light, that I wish to say that the establishment of this Commission will not take this country any far. Already, we have enough Commissions and laws, but if we do not respect the primary ones--- Instead of bringing this, I would suggest and persuade this House to consider bringing a law that guides the distribution of resources and positions in this Republic, so that no one community gets more than 10 per cent of any resource or three successive positions in any department or Ministry. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, with those few remarks, I beg to oppose this Bill."
}