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"speaker_name": "Mrs. Mwendwa",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me an opportunity to contribute to the debate on this Vote, which I support and wish its allocation could be increased. Before I proceed, I would like to declare my interest in the Motion, which is that I am a Member of the Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations, and that I have visited quite a number of Kenyan Missions abroad. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the observations I want to make are: One, some of our ambassadors and high commissioners abroad are not competent in their work. I know that the people in the Ministry might not be responsible for this appointment, but we should expect them to make recommendations. This is because some of our ambassadors are out of depth wherever they are. They really have no idea why they are there. They should settle down and sell Kenya, and, especially, promote trade between Kenya and the countries where we have missions. We should, therefore, get benefits. If they prove to be incompetent, we should get people who are capable of promoting trade in countries where we have missions. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other problem, which I think is a Kenyan problem, is lack of interest in our own people. Some ambassadors and High Commissioners find it very difficult to meet Kenyans. I will forever remember the time when the former Head of State, Mr. Moi came to South Africa. I was there as a Member of the Pan African Parliament. The former President came with other many Heads of States. Every country with a mission in South Africa had people who went to meet their respective former Heads of States. However, for Kenyans, we had no idea that the former President was there. Having been the former President of Kenya, his visit to South Africa, where I was at that time, ought to have meant something to me, if really I am a Kenyan. If, as Kenyans and Members of Parliament, we have no time and respect for our former Head of State when he is outside this country, then, perhaps, we are not worth the title, \"Members of Parliament\". Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to make a recommendation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should standardise decorations, especially the interior decorations of our missions. Everybody who is appointed to head our missions abroad normally thinks of throwing away the existing furniture in order to buy new furniture. They do this, yet they are not qualified in that field. In other countries, they make use of professional interior designers and decorators to look after the mission. We should maintain a certain standard, because when new ambassadors and High Commissioners are appointed and they go to the countries they have been posted to, the first thing they do is to go shopping. The things they buy do not really augur well for our missions. I, will, therefore, recommend, very highly, that we have officers who are qualified in this field to look after our missions abroad, so that they can reflect the real face of Kenya. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have been to some missions where tea was served to us in paper cups simply because they are fashionable in those countries. When we asked the officers in the mission what the problem was, they told us that it was because of lack of money. They told us that they did not have funds. I do not think that was so. The only reason was that paper cups are in fashion in that country and, therefore, the mission thought that it was good enough to use that kind of thing. I do not think that is good for my country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to make another recommendation. We happen to be very lucky in Kenya, because we have got hon. Prof. Wangari Maathai, who is a Noble Peace Prize Winner. I do not know why we do not use this lady, who is so knowledgeable, and whose fame has risen to international heights. She can sell our country! I do not see why we cannot use Prof. Maathai as a special envoy for our country!"
}