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{
    "id": 253918,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/253918/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 220,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ms. Karua",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 166,
        "legal_name": "Martha Wangari Karua",
        "slug": "martha-karua"
    },
    "content": "You whose pocket is bulging, we need that money in our Treasury. We are asking you to co-operate because this is a serious issue. We are going through a very hard time. We have had people starving and others dying of thirst. Our infrastructure is dilapidated. We do not need to hold a begging bowl. If we can seal the leakages of our hard earned finances, we would not have to go begging. We would be able to provide for everyone. I am, therefore, asking that we rise beyond partisan lines and take this responsibility seriously. Kenya is looking upon us. If we do not rise to that responsibility we are postponing a problem because this matter will not go. It has to be resolved and that is the message. We either resolve it now or we shall be postponing and prolonging our own agony. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I recall that this is the third time I am a Member of Parliament having been in the Seventh and the Eighth Parliaments. I was recalling today that in the previous two Parliaments, not much happened, but towards the end of each Parliament, I think the good Lord touched most of us and something would happen. I am praying that we now be touched so that something may happen and we take this responsibility seriously. In the Seventh Parliament, it was not until towards the end that we came together in a show of patriotism and reviewed the 434 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 6, 2006 Constitution together thus enlarging the democratic space which has enabled us to come this far. That is why today there are no cases of detention and that is why we were able to remove a sitting Government. It is all because democratic space had been enlarged. In the Eighth Parliament, the great happenings, in my view, were the enactment, through a Private Members Motion which was taken over by the Government, of the Parliamentary Service Commission to enable and equip Parliamentarians to perform their tasks and the enactment of the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) both of which are being implemented by this Parliament. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, sadly, this Ninth Parliament, I do not think, so far, we have anything to show. Maybe we have distinguished ourselves by name-calling and generally behaving badly. We have spread this to the entire nation. Here, we are hurling insults at each other and outside the House we are showing no respect for institutions and leaders. Likewise, our competitors in our constituencies have borrowed cue and they are calling us names. We bear the name honourable, but without honour because out there we are not being given the respect that is due to us. Why is that the case? It is because we too are not giving institutions and leaders their due respect. We can differ with respect. We can criticise and at the same time perform our duties. As a Government, I must say, we appreciate constructive criticism. However, we as a House must rise and return dignity to the institution of Parliament and also help to redefine our social values as a nation. Who else if not Parliament?"
}