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{
    "id": 407502,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/407502/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 101,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Odhiambo-Mabona",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 376,
        "legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
        "slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Speaker, Sir for giving me this opportunity. I wish to indicate that I am very reluctant to support this Bill. The reason I am very reluctant is basically because of the reasons that were espoused by hon. Kaluma. What he was saying is that the Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs has proposed amendments urging the House not to do amendments on the Report. I can almost predict that their amendment is likely to be defeated. I am not saying we should gag Parliament, it is important that any Report that is concluded be brought to Parliament. However, I want to share my experience. A year just before I came to Parliament, I used to do a lot of work in Rwanda. When I just commenced my work, the people in Rwanda used to talk to the ordinary people and tell them how the country had transformed after the war, how they had done so much, brought healing and reconciliation. If you asked someone if they were Hutu or Tutsi, they would tell you “in this country, we do not mention Tutsi or Hutu because we are one.” I think that is very wonderful and in Kenya, we should adopt that. After several months working there, I would be driving along the countryside and people had started becoming free. Then I discovered that there were so many subterranean issues. So what Rwanda was seeking to do - and I know the international community does not want to hear this because they have also invested so much time and resources – is that there are many subterranean issues that were hidden under the surface. What, therefore, this means is that there is a point if these issues are not addressed; they will just blow up. Why am I saying this? In Kenya right from independence, we have a way and a tendency of sweeping things under the carpet and wishing them away, hoping that they will never affect us. If we are not careful as a country, we will go worse than the Egyptian way. Let us be bold and brave and deal with those historical issues once and for all. I prefer the way South Africa went. They were very open. Those who were in the wrong came forward and acknowledged their wrong, were forgiven and the country moved forward. We should not have that infamous phrase that we are hearing from the media this year and which is almost abusive, when they tell us just accept and move on. How do you tell people who are aggrieved to accept and move on? Whether my position is justified or not, listen to me and my side, then we can heal together and move forward. In this country, whenever I listen to people in the social media - and I will give you an example--- Sometimes, I like going to certain blogs where I can see that majority of our ethnic community may not like me. When I see the things that they say about me by virtue of only my second name, it tells you there is a big problem in this country. Sometimes, I may have said something very nice but somebody comments that hon. Millie Odhiambo said this. If I were to repeat the things which I see about myself, it is shocking. In the same manner, if you were to hear what people who are supportive of my side and do not like hon. Duale say, whenever they see his name, it is not that they think he is bad. It talks to the division in this country. We need a leader who is brave enough to confront the challenges this country is facing. We know that our two leaders are facing crisis in the International Criminal The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}