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{
    "id": 41474,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/41474/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 210,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Affey",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 381,
        "legal_name": "Mohammed Abdi Affey",
        "slug": "mohammed-affey"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Motion encourages national unity. Kenya is not a homogenous State. It is not like countries, particularly in the Arab world or even countries within the region like Somalia, where the language is one. Kenya has 48 or so ethnic communities and all those communities have got their own unique cultural affiliation and languages. If all us stood up on the Floor of this House and spoke in our mother tongue in terms of contributing to a debate, you can imagine the kind of chaos we will have in this very National Assembly. Therefore, that is why by choice, we have taken Kiswahili has the unifying language in this country and the Constitution has recognized Kiswahili and English as the two national languages that require to be used. Where does the problem come? We, in the Committee on Equal Opportunities, are now confronted with a report by Mr. Kibunjia from the Commission on National Cohesion and Integration. That Commission has conducted an ethnic audit in the Republic of Kenya, particularly in the Civil Service. It is very shocking that out of the entire work force in this country; out of the 48 ethnic communities, there are only about six communities in Kenya which occupy 80 per cent of the office establishment in this country. That means nearly two-thirds of the Kenyan communities are absolutely excluded from the Civil Service. How then do you expect those communities to come and seek for services in the national offices, whereas the Mover of this Motion has raised concern that mother tongue has replaced the national language? They gossip and speak in mother tongue. They discuss even love affairs in mother tongue in the offices. So, there is absolute exclusion of a certain group in this country. Therefore, there is no possibility that we can ask for national unity and cohesion, when we have this kind of scenario present as we speak."
}