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{
"id": 255817,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/255817/?format=api",
"text_counter": 137,
"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"
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"content": "That is not to say that the Government will abdicate its responsibility of protecting its citizens; whether that citizen has committed an offence or not. It is the duty of the Government to protect all its citizens. This Government will do its best to discharge that obligation. We are also called upon as leaders to promote positive social values. If, today, you commit a crime against the people of Kenya, or if, today, you are a suspect in criminal matters, can you then preach to the people of Kenya virtues in the area that you are under investigation? Unless we promote positive social values in this country, we are going to confuse the people the very same way we ended up, jointly, confusing them over the referendum. The issues of the referendum, constitution making and corruption have become not a course. We are now treating them as a political weapon and that is dangerous for this country. Serious issues must be treated with the seriousness that they deserve. I, once again, will say that there is a minimum that we must be able to do together, even as political opponents, to be able to move this country's political agenda forward. If, tomorrow, our opponents on the other side of the House will be in Government, they will still need those in the Opposition Benches to move the agenda of the country forward. This is where true leadership is called upon. We shall, therefore, on this side of the Government, be seeking to engage you to develop that minimum agenda which we must work with together. That is why, from the very outset, yesterday, we said that we are open to dialogue and we mean it. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I heard hon. Members contribute on the issue of famine and water. The water sector reforms that are currently being carried out by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation are geared towards ensuring that this nation becomes water secure. If we support those changes from wherever we are and if we support the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Water and Irrigation on the matter of reafforestion and taking care of our environment, in a few years time, issues of shortage of water or lack of it for essential services will become a thing of the past. We shall also be able to use it economically so that our daily needs 66 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 23 March, 2006 can be served. Let us support development and compete when we should, because in politics, there must be competition. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, finally, let us also support a free and responsible Press. Let us also support responsible leadership. We are failing this country and if we listen to the words of His Excellency the President and those of the Speaker during the State Opening, we should do some soul searching. I beg to support."
}