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"id": 197572,
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"content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, what I have just said is well reflected in the agreement itself at page 12. It says: \"To resolve the political crisis, and in the spirit of coalition and partnership, we have agreed to enact the National Accord and Reconciliation Act, 2008, whose provisions have been agreed upon in their entirety by the parties hereto and a draft copy thereof is appended hereto\". It is that draft copy which was appended to this agreement that is before this House. The only thing we removed was the preamble, it is not law. However, the main body of this Bill is what they actually agreed on, with the commas and full stops. As the drafting team, we did not deem it fit that March 18, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 213 we should, ourselves, begin redrafting this Bill, which had been agreed to by the two principals. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, to underline the importance of this, His Excellency the President and the Prime Minister-designate witnessed by President Jakaya Kikwete and former United Nations Secretary-General, Dr. Kofi Annan, actually signed each and every page, not only of the agreement but also of this Bill. This is what has been laid on the Table of the House by the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs. You will see that there are initials, so that if there is any change, then you know where it came from. It did not come from them. It could have come from somebody else. That somebody else has to be blamed. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, a lot has already been said about this Bill. When we were discussing the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, we touched on this Bill establishing the post of Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, how the Prime Minister will be appointed, what his functions will be, how the Cabinet will be formed and so on. I do not really have to go into detail. You know what is contained in this Bill. All I can plead with you is that you enact it as it is. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are here, passing these important legislations not just for the sake of passing them. I am glad that in the agreement, they stated that these two documents are not about creating positions that reward individuals, as stated at page 12. It is for a particular purpose and that purpose is to enable Kenyan political leaders look beyond partisan considerations, with a view to promoting the greater interest of the nation as a whole. In order to do that, we have laid emphasis on having a new constitutional dispensation within 12 months. \"Within 12 months\", can mean one month, two months or three months. Therefore, that is a challenge to all of us. We expect to take the shortest time possible to have a new constitutional dispensation for Kenya. This is about a new political dispensation for Kenya. It is about addressing the causes of what has gone wrong in our society since we attained Independence. This will give people the opportunity to do that. I very much hope that the speed which has prevailed this afternoon, of enacting the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, will be the same spirit which will continue until we have a new constitutional dispensation. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is not enough to cry; peace! peace! For me, it is not enough to merely say from the mountain top that we must all be Kenyans. When we talk about leadership, I think the two have shown the way. The political leadership that is here must start with us. The buck stops with us. As somebody said, change has to start with an individual. In other words, if you want a Kenya free of ethnicity and tribalism, then you, as the individual, should not shout at others. You, as a political leader, must be the change we want to see. If you want to see a society free of tribalism, you as a leader must be free of tribalism. If you want to see a corrupt free Kenya, then you, as a leader, must be corruption free. I am calling upon you to be that change you want to see in Kenya. Let us start with us and let it percolate down to the grassroots level and so on. So, I will not go into the details of what is here. I believe you have read everything that is contained here and you have talked about it. I can only commend you to support it, na tuipitisheharaka so that I can present it to my President for assent today. I call upon my friend, Mr. Samoei, to second. I beg to move."
}