HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 197406,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/197406/?format=api",
"text_counter": 65,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Balala",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 9,
"legal_name": "Najib Mohamed Balala",
"slug": "najib-balala"
},
"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am honoured to be here in this historic day, where we are sitting together as brothers and sisters, patriotic Kenyans. Early this year, we came here in a very hostile situation and elected you as the Speaker. We thought that justice would not prevail. All this trouble that has affected this country was caused by the announcement of the fraudulent Presidential election results. It is sad when we have institutions that we trust, to take sides and yet they are the ones which have created this violence. Mr. Speaker, Sir, today is a historic day not only because we are going to pass these Bills, but also because there is a change of system. We are taking the first step of changing our system of Government from a Presidential system to a Parliamentary system. I hope that one day we will have a Parliamentary system of Government so that we can understand what political parties are all about and what political ideologies our political parties have. March 18, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 191 This Parliament has a duty to understand the change we are taking today because it brings people together and the concept of a Coalition Government is paramount at the moment. We want understanding and peace. It is true that at one point, we rushed to make constitutional changes and we messed up the country. This time round, it is not about rushing; it is about building institutions that are answerable to the people of Kenya. With regard to the issue of legality, the Constitution of Kenya or any other constitution is not a holy book; it is not a Bible or Quran. It is a document consisting of rules that are used to govern people and they can be changed at the will of the people. I believe that this House has the mandate to change any clause of the Constitution for as long as it is good for this country. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we need to recognise the people who have brought us together by rising above selfish interests. I am talking about His Excellency hon. Mwai Kibaki and hon. Raila Odinga. These two gentlemen, perhaps, could have been seen to be dying for positions, but that was not the case. It is about the people. I would like to talk about hon. Raila Odinga. If he only wanted the presidency, we would not be here today because this country would have split into two. However, it is about the people of Kenya. It is about how we can live together in harmony. He saw the need to bring peace back by accepting a lower position of Prime Minister and not the President. Mr. Speaker, Sir, however, I always say, it is not about Raila and Kibaki; it is about a system that can accommodate everyone in this country. It is not about positions in Government, rather it is about how leaders will be sensitive to the people. This is the time to put our people first. It is the time to put their interests, and not ours, first. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am privileged to be sitting in the Transitional Committee that is meant to harmonise the manifestos. We want to build a national agenda that has harmonised manifestos which address key issues. For the first time in this country, we have seen political parties being issue-oriented and determined to serve people by addressing their needs. There are long-term issues such as land issues, the issues affecting the poor, unemployment and the issue of a devolved system of Government. There is change in the air all over the world. Why should there be no change in Kenya? This is the time! When we see distinguished guests sitting up there and eminent persons like hon. Kofi Annan coming to Kenya to broker peace, it is not about Kenya, rather it is about stability and peace in the Sub-Saharan part of Africa. It is about the economy of a bigger region than just Nairobi and Mombasa. It is about Africa. I am glad that we will be the first country to show the direction of a Grand Coalition. Let us all pledge to make sure that this Grand Coalition works. It is not about the individuals who will be in that Grand Coalition; it is about the nation. It is time we all supported these Bills and gave honour and distinction to the meaning of leadership as opposed to mere ordinary persons making noise or heckling out there. We all ought to support this Bill."
}