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{
    "id": 266311,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/266311/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 246,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. ole Ntimama",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister of State for National Heritage and Culture",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 200,
        "legal_name": "William Ronkorua ole Ntimama",
        "slug": "william-ntimama"
    },
    "content": "It is also very important to say that we have been a peripheral community in this country. We have never really got proper development funds or projects in our areas. We have been on the periphery. We have never really been brought to the mainstream of development of this country, so that we can enjoy the funding and everything else like everybody else. This is why we are behind. I want to say that something must change when we discuss this land policy. It is just not ordinary. It is not ordinary for people to say they will do it. We want also some apology from the Government of Kenya. We know there is the principle of heirs and successors. Even if the British went, the people who rule this country is now the Government of Kenya. We think it is important for them to try and apologize to other people whom they have taken their land by force. We have got an opportunity because this Constitution is better than any other Constitution that we have seen before. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to put it on record that we want an apology from this Government for the principal of heirs and successors. What happened in Australia? The Government of Australia apologized to the Aborigines. What happened to the Bushmen of South Africa? The Government of South Africa apologized to the Bushmen. The Government of Canada apologized to the red race of America; the Red Indians, led by a great warrior called the Wounded Knee. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, before I sit down, I want it to be known that this Constitution has given us an impetus and courage to try and follow up the rights of our people. We have lost land even through our own people because we were not educated before. We were left without education and that was the greatest mistake and sin that the British did. As I have said, we did not get much help from the African governments that followed. They still treated us as outsiders and those in the periphery. This is why even today, because of the skills of our people in Kenya, they can go and cajole or cheat our own people; give them a little money and they sell their land. This is because they do not have education or trading skills. They are completely mesmerized even to sell land belonging to their children. It is a disaster that we are trying to cure. But some of this land has already disappeared in bigger ways. We know what has happened and what is happening. We want justice so that our people can enjoy the right of being free in this country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, lastly, it is very important that the whole country gets back to the land question once again and look at it carefully, so that we can find out ways of trying to pacify certain communities and see to it that justice is done. Otherwise, we will be pretending if we think that peace is going to prevail when other people are being oppressed. I want to thank and support the Mau Mau group which has gone to England to claim their rights. I know that there were chaos during the land demarcation in Central Province. I do not know whether their land was fairly distributed, but I support them. Whether or not they get some compensation from the British, we should also look into that. Let me say frankly and courageously that there are still people who are living in huts and caves, who fought for the freedom of this country. I think we should really try and also bring them up. My friend, Paul Muite, is fighting for them. I was thinking of bringing the Maasai case, but I think it is better that we fight and talk about it here in Kenya than probably go to Britain. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I do not know whether or not to support this Bill, but I think I better support it in the hope that we will now leave it to the people of Kenya to make certain decisions."
}