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{
    "id": 33153,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/33153/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 399,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "colleagues such as hon. Mghanga Mwandawiro and hon. Koigi wa Wamwere, who suffered. They had been banished in this country, and they had to seek asylum in other countries. Many people had suffered because we did not have a body which could monitor what was happening in this country in those dark years. I cannot forget people in my constituency such as Eng. David Mnzirai, Mr. Aliko Meja and Mr. Mohamed Mwakio, who were also arrested and, finally, they had to run away from this country. To date, they are still trying to find their space and coming back to our country. They are getting scared. They are not so sure that the Kenya National Human Rights Commission will be able to continue the good work they have already started. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when I was a student at the University of Nairobi, I watched with shock and dismay one Sunday morning as people were having peaceful prayers, when many students were beaten up. Those students suffered. Some of them got severe burns and their lives were derailed because they had to stay in hospital, some of them for longer than six months. From that, I knew it was important to have a human rights body, which can take care of the issues of violations of human rights. Some of those students were not so lucky. They lost their lives as they were having those peaceful demonstrations. One of my classmates, Dr. Patrick Litunya, was arrested. He was an innocent dental student, but he was arrested and arraigned in court. To date, when he remembers those years, he sheds tears because of the pain it caused him and his family members. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, looking at the functions of the Kenya National Human Rights Commission, they include, under Clause 7(a), acting as the principal organ of the State in ensuring compliance with the obligations under international and regional treaties and conventions relating to human rights except those that relate to the rights of special interest groups protected under the law relating to equality and non-discrimination. What I am simply saying is that the Kenya National Human Rights Commission could not have come at a better time. With those remarks, I beg to support."
}