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{
    "id": 390713,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/390713/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 195,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orengo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 129,
        "legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
        "slug": "james-orengo"
    },
    "content": "The most iconic picture that I saw in the media, in relation to this incident, was the picture of a Kenyan soldier with a gun carrying a little baby to safety. That little baby was either of European or Asian origin. It reminded me of the job that our men, who work in the security forces, are doing to keep us safe in the sense that this soldier was not only defending our rights and liberties, but was saving the life of a little baby. It reminded me that even men can have tenderness. In fact, a soldier can be a very tender person. The sight of an armed soldier carrying a little baby is an image I will carry throughout my life. We owe a lot to these people who secure our lives and liberties. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there are a lot of things we take for granted. But going through this incident, we need to take account of whether we treat our policemen and soldiers properly; whether they are properly remunerated for the work they do. I hope that one of the things that we will do after this incident is to reconsider the welfare of our men and women in arms. But I know that the Government has made indications that our soldiers’ welfare will be looked after. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this gives us the opportunity to express our national outrage. For one, this incident shows how united Kenya is. When the Leader of the Majority said that, probably, we differ on things that are not so fundamental or trivial, but so long as those differences are within the constitutional framework and the structures of Government and social engineering as it were, those are things we must do. We must continue to be a vibrant democracy. In fact, behind some of these incidents, there is an attempt to change our way of life. But Kenya should not change its way of life as a thriving democracy, prepared to maintain peace and at the same time enjoying our liberties for which our people fought so hard. I congratulate His Excellency the President for the measures he has taken together with the Government, and also showing the statesmanship of coming together with the leaders of the opposition. I know sometimes it is not very easy and we may take it for granted. There may be some people behind the state power who probably were not so enthusiastic. You can notice them occasionally, that they were not so enthusiastic. But I was impressed that His Excellency the President forgot about petty political differences. In fact, those who were at State House witnessed an occasion where leaders of the opposition were sitting together with the President. There are those in Government who were not able to get to the inner sanctum of State House. Others in the opposition were able to get into the inner sanctum of State House. This was a demonstration of the type of democracy we are trying to thrive in. My only complaint is that His Excellency, when he was having that little team of people he was talking to, he gave instructions that I should be called upon to join them, but some bureaucrat somewhere thought that I am not worth being in that office. But I do not really mind about that. There are more important things to think about."
}