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{
    "id": 194315,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/194315/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 254,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kenyatta",
    "speaker_title": "The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 168,
        "legal_name": "Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta",
        "slug": "uhuru-kenyatta"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, first and foremost, I wish to say that I am encouraged by the enthusiasm of hon. Members to continue doing parliamentary business. It is a very encouraging sign; this is the eagerness, the readiness and preparedness to work. I would also like to echo the sentiments that have partially been expressed by Mr. Midiwo. The fact is that for us to do business, there must be business. We all know that we have come from a very difficult time, where there was post-election violence. It has been a difficult time for all of us. The truth of the matter is that we have managed to secure peace in this country when the leaders of the two sides agreed to sit together and form a Coalition Government, which is inclusive of all shades of political opinion. It is clear that the two sides had different positions in the run-up to the last general election. The ongoing work to harmonise the positions of the two sides is actually necessary. This is the work that has been going on. Those sides have been sitting together and trying to harmonise their manifestos and policy positions, in order to come up with one position. It is as a result of coming up with that singular position that we will be in a position to begin generating Bills for debate in this House. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is not fair for us to look at the fact that the Government side is saying that we take a short recess and then come back for the Budget as a reason for saying that the Government side does not value the role that this House plays. The Government values that role but it is necessary, looking at where we have come from, to be given a chance to harmonise these various positions, so that the necessary business can be generated in order for Bills to be rolled out, and be debated in this House for them to become law and be useful to the people of this Republic. Instead of sitting here in Nairobi when there is really no business before us, why can we not use this opportunity to continue the good work that has been started by the leaders of our two political parties? This is preaching peace throughout the country. Let us use this opportunity to go round the countryside and start healing some of the rifts that were caused by the violence. Let us May 14, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1073 put our people together, and make them understand once again that they are Kenyans and that this Government is ready to work together with them Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I plead with my colleagues that considering where we have come from, we need one another. We need to understand one another. Please give us time to generate business that this House can, thereafter, deliberate on. There is no need for tensions. There is no need for two sides. This House should show this country that we are united, hence we can also encourage our people to be united. This must be the objective of everyone of us over the next few months, so that we can even move to the more pressing agenda of developing a Constitution, and then a referendum as one thing as opposed to being a divided House. These are the issues that I would like our colleagues to bear in mind, appreciate and understand. A call for a short recess is not the same as saying that Parliament has no role. It is saying that we need one another and need some time to generate business. Let us go out together and start healing this country. Let us use this opportunity to heal this country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I support this Motion, I would like to call upon all my colleagues, who are sitting on the other side, to realise that they have a role to play. A Government needs to be checked. It does not necessarily need to be checked by an Official Opposition. You can check a Government by just being effective Back-benchers."
}