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{
    "id": 402123,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/402123/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 241,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "told me that they did not expect to see the things they had seen. There were traffic jams and everybody seemed to be driving a big car and there were so many big buildings. To them, we were living in a lot of affluence. They asked me why many African countries including Kenya were looking for grants, loans and other support facilities from the West and yet we had enough wealth. The statement was so true because even when a delegation goes to a western country, they want to live in the best hotels, they travel first class or in a private jet and the delegation is usually more than 30 people, but there they are with a begging bowl. We exhibit such a contradiction to the western world. That is why when they eventually give us grants with so many unreasonable conditions, it is because they feel that we do not even deserve it in the first place. Unfortunately, even with the pride of having the best brains and a lot of human resource, we always sign for those grants because we know that we shall enjoy the money but another generation will pay. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, why do we have Senators, Members of Parliament and Governors if we are not ready to serve our people? It is such a contradiction that you go to a county that is so poor, where children are learning under trees, where women are dying because they do not have simple maternity wards, where child mortality rate is so high, where they do not have water, electricity and the other basic necessities and when you look at the budget of that county, the first item on the list is construction of the Governor’s house at a cost of Kshs160 million. How many classrooms can that money build? How many children can be saved if we employed doctors in those hospitals? It is such a contradiction when you go to a function and there are all these hungry looking people in tattered clothes seated in the sun while the people who are well fed sit under a tent. All the poor people who are hungry, almost fainting from dancing and entertaining the dignitaries sit under the sun. It is usually two worlds in one function. When the function ends, everybody enters his four wheel drive vehicle and drives off while the poor women and children trek home hungry, having sat there from morning and nobody cares whatever happens to them on the way to their homes. Honestly, this is a shame. We must go back to the drawing board and ask ourselves why we present ourselves to be elected as leaders when we are not ready to be servants. The tragedy is that the money the leaders use to exhibit all the obnoxious things does not even belong to them; it is public money. If the only reason why you get into positions of leadership is so that you lord it upon your own flesh and blood in order to be noticed or for the people to worship you, then, please, leave that position to the people who are ready and willing to serve their people and go to the private sector and make wealth so that we can still recognize you. Mr. Temporary Speaker, recently, there was a delegation from Nigeria and one of the people in the delegation who is being sought by Presidents is somebody who started small, but has built an empire for himself. He is the richest man in Africa and he is able to even sustain this Government with his little change. So, whether you like it or not, you must know his name because he is a powerful man and he must be received by the President. If that is what you want in life, then go into private practice and leave political leadership to those who have it within them. We should know that we are here to serve. You should not go around your county which does not even have good roads with a motorcade of vehicles which throw a lot of dust to the people making them catch flu. Your presence should be measured at the end of five years with what you have brought"
}