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"id": 254081,
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"speaker_name": "Maj. Madoka",
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"legal_name": "Marsden Herman Madoka",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Presidential Speech. First, this House should record its congratulations to the Kenyan team that participated in the Commonwealth Games, which put up a splendid performance in Melbourne, Australia. Secondly, it should also support the idea of giving our sportsmen and sportswomen some cash incentives. That would be a great motivation factor for our sports people. We should also all support the idea of setting up a lottery to raise funds for promoting sports in this country. Our sportsmen and sportswomen have been great ambassadors. Therefore, we should do all we can to promote their activities. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as usual, the Presidential Address was very academic, although he set up the legislative agenda for the coming year. He also addressed himself to the need for this House to provide leadership and address issues that affect Kenyans. As leaders, we certainly need to heed that call. In his introductory remarks, the Speaker also emphasised the need for us to set an example of leadership. This House has a pilot. The pilot is supposed to steer this House in its business by ensuring that we stick to the provisions of the Constitution, as well as the Standing Orders of this House. That pilot is the Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with utmost respect to the Chair, I would like to point out that whereas the Speaker has done very well in terms of ensuring that we stick to the various regulations and complying with the Constitution, there is an area I feel we have not been given proper direction. Consequently, this has led to a great deal of political instability and acrimony, both inside and outside this House. I am addressing myself to the question of the setting up of a Government of National Unity. We have put up a question on this matter and raised objections. We had sought guidance from the Chair as to whether \"poaching\" of hon. Members from the Opposition and including them in the Government was legitimate or not. However, unlike it, the Chair did not give any direction on this particular issue. Therefore, the Chair having failed to do so, we went to court to seek a proper interpretation of the Constitution relating to this matter. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the establishment of the Government of National Unity has, without any doubt, created a lot of animosity amongst us. This is because, whereas the concept of a government of national unity was supposed to bring us together, in our case, it divided us. The Government has ceased to be a Government of National Unity and is now a Government of disunity. When the NARC Government \"poached\" some hon. Members from the Opposition to its side, it pushed out some hon. Members who belonged to its own side. In doing so, we have had a lot of 336 PARLIMENTARY DEBATES April 5, 2006 problems from that particular group. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I was so disappointed two days ago when a very senior Member of the NARC administration told an hon. Member in very strong terms: \"There is no way we, in the Government, can sit with a certain community.\" I found that a very strong statement to have been made by a very senior Member of the Government. With such statements---"
}