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{
    "id": 302520,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/302520/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 499,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ms. Karua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 166,
        "legal_name": "Martha Wangari Karua",
        "slug": "martha-karua"
    },
    "content": "that we have a responsibility as Kenyans, more so, as national leaders, to promote reconciliation. I am glad that this Committee has tabled this Report which then shows that as a Parliament we are doing something to move forward. But we still have individual responsibility to ensure that we promote peace and reconciliation by deed and in action. I want to say that even if it is not all of us, the Members who have not promoted peace and reconciliation--- We, as a Parliament, have failed in discharging this responsibility. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the most effective way of ensuring that we never again have this sort of situation and that we prevent deliberate internal displacement by criminal activities, is by upholding the rule of law. It is a shame that up to now cases arising out of the 2007 criminal activities following the disputed elections have not been dealt with. This promotes impunity. We failed in setting up a local tribunal; we attracted the limelight of the international community, but even prosecutions at The Hague cannot be enough. Until Kenya itself upholds the rule of law and ensures that our systems are working. Even if we do policy, we shall never lay a basis for peace. The work of excavating bodies that are buried in graves like it has happened twice in Rongai is the work of criminals. A community does not perpetrate criminal activities. These are perpetrated by individuals who must be seen not as communities but as the criminals that they are. I would urge the Government to rise to its responsibility to ensure that wherever there is a criminal act by whoever, it must be dealt with firmly. Wherever there is an attack of a criminal nature on any Kenyan of whatever ethnic composition, this must be pursued with the vigor that the law deserves, so that we can ensure peace among us. I want to again support the Committee, in its recommendations, that there should be no discrimination in handling the cases of IDPs. So if it is by omission that the Executive has failed to make room for settlement of a certain category, it will appear even when it is not meant that way as discrimination against certain categories of people. We, therefore, must call for full implementation of this Report within, say, the next 60 days because we are moving towards elections. We do not need to talk of too much in the future, but within the next 60 days because it is possible. As I conclude because I want to heed the Speaker’s call, I want to say that one way again of ensuring this situation does not arise is for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to realize that it is failing Kenyans at the hour of need. Having a process that lacks integrity like the tendering process is undermining peace in this country. Members of the Commission must realize that they work for Kenyans and they swore to work for Kenya faithfully; not to work for cartels on both sides of the Coalition Government who are holding them hostage. That is why they have been unable to execute their duties."
}