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{
"id": 225392,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/225392/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Prof. Maathai",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 226,
"legal_name": "Wangari Muta Maathai",
"slug": "wangari-maathai"
},
"content": "or bhang; it is the adults. I really do not believe that we cannot prevent this. But the fact that we allow drugs to be brought into this country, we have allowed our country to be used as a conduit for drugs. So, occasionally, we encounter large amounts of drugs that are being transferred through this country. Recently, I think the Nation Television, literally showed us drugs being sold in the streets by a physically handicapped person. The police officers were literally passing through the same street, but they apparently could not see what was going on. This either demonstrates that we do not fully appreciate the tragedy that is taking place in our country, or we are so insensitive about the fact that our children are in danger. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in this country, for years, children have been inhaling glue. There is not one adult person who has not seen the sight of those children inhaling glue. That glue is not produced by children. Also, that glue is not produced without somebody in authority knowing who produces it. How does it get to the children? If we need the glue, it should be possible to remove the chemical that causes the damage to the brain of these children from it. If it is the legal mechanism that we have lacked, then this Motion was needed yesterday. We need to expedite, so that we have a legal mechanism that we can use to protect our children. But when we cry over rape and molestation of women and children, we know that some of the April 18, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 691 activities that are carried out against them by others cannot be done by a sane person. It is done by people often under the influence of drugs and substances. Therefore, when we cry over the damage done to the infants and children, we really should be concerned about the root causes of many of the problems that affect them. Right now, we see the damage that some of the children who went through these tragedies are causing to this country, in form of robbery, and we prefer to shoot them. It is very sad when an older generation finds a solution to its problems in killing the next generation. There is something very serious about that. I think we need to really ask ourselves what we have done to our children, so that they have become such a menace to us, that the solution we have is to kill them. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support this Motion very strongly, because I do believe that the cause of many of the problems that we are seeing is not only due to, what I would call, unequal distribution of wealth, so that we have a large proportion of poor people who are trying to level it out by stealing, but also by the children who went through experiences of drug abuse or rape. I commend the National Agency for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA). I also agree with those hon. Members who have recommended that what we probably need to do, is to embrace the NACADA and the various mechanisms that are available at the moment. We should come up with legal mechanisms that, for once, will protect our children. I have been to many countries, especially in South-East Asia, where leaders just do not tolerate anybody who gives his or her children drugs. We all know that if you are caught with drugs in that part of the world, the punishment is death. What those people are doing is protecting their children. So, there are some people in some countries who are going to great lengths, to ensure that their children grow up drug- free. Only if you have a strong and healthy nation, can you truly have a nation that is able to work, think and promote development. But if you have a nation of drug addicts, alcoholics and people who have lost parts of their brains because of misusing drugs and substances, then no matter how much you work, you will never---"
}