Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 282060,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/282060/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 459,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. ole Metito",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Regional Development Authorities",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 199,
        "legal_name": "Judah Katoo Ole-Metito",
        "slug": "judah-ole-metito"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to really urge the political parties that as per Article 50 of the Treaty, where it says that you should consider regional balance, shade of opinion, gender and special interest, I believe the people who really know what is happening at the East African Community are the people who live along border of the East African Community. Therefore, it is my humble submission to the political parties to nominate people living along the border. They can nominate people from Lunga Lunga in Kwale County, Taveta in Taita Taveta County; Loitokitok, Namanga and Magadi in Kajiado County; Trans Mara in Narok County, Malaba in Busia County and so on. This is because those are the people who know the gains, the challenges and the solutions of the East African Community. Therefore, it will be nice if these political parties really could consider, at least, out of the nine, a minimum of five, taking them all the way from Kwale up to Malaba. If they give five slots along that borderline that borders Tanzania and Uganda, the benefits of the East African Community will be realized in this country because a lot happens on the border points. For instance, there are a lot of activities along Namanga/Loitokitok and Taveta borderline. By so doing, we can fast track integration of East African people. I believe those are the people who can speed up integration because they really understand the cultural diversity. They can turn the cultural diversity into positive gains for this country. The benefits of economic integration really cannot come to Kenya without going through the people who border Uganda or Tanzania. The political benefits that tend to unify the people of these five countries really are known and can be well championed and advocated by the political leadership which borders those countries. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this is the third time that we are going to do election or will send as this country our representatives to that regional Assembly. But for the last two sessions not much has been done in terms of the interests of the people who border the East African Community. It is good that the party whip is also here with me. I would like to appeal that as they do the nomination they should really take into consideration the special interest groups. They should consider the interests of those who border the East African Community. I am very sure that many of the applicants will even come from those regions. So, it will be good to consider three people for that category and then this House will have a responsibility of electing in order to balance all those issues. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to applaud the Committee for a job well done. But I know that we need to really do some amendments to these rules. I urge the hon. Members really to take keen interest because if we pass the rules the way they are, there will be a lot of loopholes and disagreements that may lead us again to where we were in November, 2006. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those remarks, I beg to support."
}