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{
    "id": 404603,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/404603/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 161,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wamatangi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 646,
        "legal_name": "Paul Kimani Wamatangi",
        "slug": "paul-kimani-wamatangi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. From the outset, let me congratulate Sen. (Prof.) Lonyangapuo for this Motion that he has brought to this House. Let me also take the bold step of declaring that, indeed, civilization is synonymous with innovation. The whole world is the way it is today; we live the lives we live and do the things that we do because of innovators. This is from the old days when we used to transmit important messages through runners and then came an innovator called Graham Bell who innovated the telephone. The greatest innovator in the history of this world is probably Thomas Edison. Besides him and many others, today we are able to do all the things that we do and remain hopeful because of their thoughts and works. In our country, we have not been short of equally brilliant innovators. About two decades ago, we made a very bold step. We innovated and made our first vehicle. We all remember when we had the Nyayo Pioneer I. That was a bold statement of a country that was saying that we can also innovate irrespective of our shortcomings. From there onwards, our people have gone ahead to do great things. I remember the other day seeing a young man from Kisumu who had made a radio station in his small cubicle and the broadcasting mast was on top of a tree and he was speaking to the communities around the lakeside region. In the ICT sector, this country through our young generation has made tremendous strides in showing that we have all the capability to be exceptionally innovative. We had young men recently in the press who had innovated a security system that monitors what happens in your house when you are at work. Using your mobile phone, if somebody tries to break into your house, you can trigger the alarm. There are very many other innovative ideas including the legendary M-pesa which has been embraced in the whole world. Mr. Speaker, Sir, looking at the trend that we have adopted after all those innovations, that is where the worry starts. In the early 1970s, this country had made very good steps to ensure that technical schools were very sound and respected. I remember the days when we had the Kabete Technical School and many others. All those schools have now died a slow death because focus has been taken away from the importance of supporting science and technology, including innovation. Most of the technical training institutes in our country are now being turned into universities that have now shifted their The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate"
}