HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 197880,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/197880/?format=api",
"text_counter": 115,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Wamalwa",
"speaker_title": "The Member for Saboti",
"speaker": {
"id": 148,
"legal_name": "Eugene Ludovic Wamalwa",
"slug": "eugene-wamalwa"
},
"content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, may I also take this opportunity to thank the good people of Saboti for giving me the opportunity to serve and represent them in this Tenth Parliament, and to be part of this historic moment. Indeed, I wish to share the sentiments expressed by previous hon. Members that this is a historic moment. In supporting this Motion, I wish to say that, indeed, it is a historic moment. We have a big challenge as hon. Members of the Tenth Parliament. What the President said in his Speech captured the mood and the new spirit in this country; the new spirit of reconciliation, compromise and national unity. It is this spirit that we must also embrace as hon. Members. Shakespeare once wrote that there comes a time when there is a tide in the affairs of men. When the tide is captured at the flood, it brings fortune: Omitted, life's voyage is spent in miseries and shallows. On such scenes, do we now find ourselves afloat as a nation. We must congratulate our two leaders, His Excellency the President, Mr. Kibaki and Mr. Raila Odinga for capturing the tide at the flood on 28th February, 2008, by signing the peace accord and bringing peace back to this country. Indeed, they captured the moment and now it is our part, as Parliament, to also rise to the occasion. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I was very happy to hear about the plans that this Government has for the youth of this nation. The youth comprise 70 per cent of the population of March 12, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 81 this nation. At 45 years of age, Kenya is, indeed, a youthful nation. The problems that the youth of this nation face have not been given priority. It is time that the problems of the youth of this nation were addressed. Looking at the President's Speech and the plans that the Government has for the youth, I wish to say that all must be done to give hope back to the youth of this nation. Looking at the militias and the clashes that took place in the post-elections violence, the youth played a major role. Indeed, they were the gangs for hire for the warlords. It is not that it was out of choice. It is because most of the youth of this nation are unemployed. They are idle! They have nothing to do. They are the ones who were used to torch houses, kill and blockade all the roads. Unless something is done to give hope to the youth, this country will still suffer. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I was also very pleased to hear of the plans that the Government has for the farmers of this nation. The President talked about plans to help displaced farmers. I come from a region where farmers have been displaced from their farms. They are unable to access their fields to prepare them. The rains have set in and they are unable to farm. For those farmers who are able to access to their farms, the high cost of inputs - fertilisers that used to be Kshs2,000 have now doubled to Kshs4,000 - they are unable to farm. Therefore, we must support plans to assist those who are displaced to get seeds and fertilisers to farm this year. Those who are not in the camps are equally facing the same challenge. They are not able to buy the inputs and farm this year. Urgent measures must be put in place to ensure that they farm this year. We have, as the Tenth parliament, been given the challenge to bring about a new constitutional order. This is a challenge and a task that the previous Parliaments were unable to accomplish. However, we are privileged to be hon. Members of this Parliament that has the rare opportunity to actually accomplish what the previous Parliaments were unable to do. I believe that out of this crisis, we have found a new spirit of unity. It will take unity and working together to complete the constitutional review process that stalled because of partisan reasons. Indeed, it is a big challenge but equally, like the Chinese say, in every crisis, there is an opportunity. It is a great opportunity for us, as hon. Members of this Parliament, to ensure that we deliver to Kenyans a new Constitution that they have always desired. As I conclude, there is the issue of justice that has been touched by various hon. Members of this House. What we urge is that justice must be done! As we talk of resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and measures to accommodate divergent views, we must also talk about justice. We have a legal maxim that says: \"When justice is done, we must let justice be done even if the heavens fall.\" Justice should not be looked at from a tribal, partisan or religious angle. Justice is even-handed and for all those who are responsible for torching houses and killing, let justice be done even if the heavens fall. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I conclude by urging that hon. Members must embrace the new spirit embodied in the Address of the President - the new spirit of compromise. It will take compromise to actually complete the constitutional review. It will take compromise to accomplish much that must be done by this Tenth Parliament. In days ahead, the word \"compromise\" should be in our hearts, minds and thoughts. It is the word that a great American Statesman, Mr. Henry Clay, once said: \"Compromise is what holds together. It is the cement that holds together the union that makes America.\" It is the glue that is going to hold together the new Government of National Unity that we are going to form. So, let us all compromise for the sake of our national good. Thank you!"
}