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{
    "id": 224331,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/224331/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 246,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Wamunyinyi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 291,
        "legal_name": "Athanas Misiko Wafula Wamunyinyi",
        "slug": "athanas-wamunyinyi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. He is always like that! Some of the communities of Kenya are still in the 1930s that their girls are forced into marriage for a few cows, a few thousands of shillings, a suit for the father and a kabuti . This is very unfortunate and we must provide an enabling law to stop it so that our girls can also enjoy and move on to live like other Kenyans. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, another problem which I think we must deal with, as leaders, is the issue of culture. In some communities girls were not regarded with seriousness. They were expected to grow up and get married. They were also expected to work for their families such as cooking, fetching water and firewood. It is unfortunate that this is also still going on in some areas where they are not taking the girls to schools. They simply grow up, do some work at home and are eventually married off. This must be addressed. I am sure that the areas where maybe we have more cows is where this is happening because I think they value the number of cows that are paid in terms of marriage. Even wazees with many daughters value them as a source of wealth because of what they expect to be paid in form of dowry. This must be done away with. People should be encouraged to ensure that girls go to school and they are not married off. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, if you look at some of the provisions in the Education Act, you will find that we have not effectively dealt with the issue of children with special needs. These are students with disabilities and victims of retardation who require special and personalised April 25, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 905 attention. While we appreciate the effort the Government is putting in place to streamline education in general, the issue of special education has not been taken as it ought to have been. Some schools do not have equipment or facilities for children with disabilities. This is also a serious issue which needs to be addressed. Disability can affect anybody any time. The fact that some children may be disabled does not mean that they are not normal human beings. It is important that they also get facilities to enable them to go through school without problems. The other issue which is also alarming is the trafficking of girls. Some girls have been exported to some countries for commercial purposes. Specific laws must be put in place to strongly punish and prevent anybody from harbouring such intentions. If this goes on, we will continue to experience the problems that we talk about every now and then. With those few remarks, I beg to support the Motion."
}