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{
    "id": 426261,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/426261/?format=api",
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    "content": "executions of clerics, insecurity in the mosques, instances of killings of clergymen in churches and attacks on churches and other places of worship. This state of affairs is untenable and unacceptable. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, just last week, on 17th March, 2014, the Government seized what they called a cache of explosives that were detonated recently under the orders of the court. The security experts indicated that had those explosives been used on any installation in Mombasa, the levels of devastation would not be easy to explain. Therefore, I come to this Senate partly due to the constitutional provision of Article 238 (2) (a), which states:- “The national security of Kenya shall be promoted and guaranteed in accordance with the following principles –– ( a ) national security is subject to the authority of this Constitution and Parliament.” Mr. Speaker, Sir, Parliament includes the Senate. My general view is that this Senate must now assert itself. As the Senator for Mombasa, I have come to this national platform to seek the Senate’s indulgence in ensuring it asserts its authority on matters of national security and conclusively, deliberate on a formula and recommendations that will avert this matter once and for all. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, somebody somewhere is trying to cause devastation in Mombasa. In fact, if you look at the national media, over the last couple of months, a perception has been created that Mombasa is at war. I saw it even when I was on a trip in Turkey. It was almost perceived that Mombasa was inhabitable. I have seen it constantly also in the national media. A perception is being generated that there is a war between Muslims and Christians in Mombasa, yet that is far from the truth. Muslims and Christians have continued to exist in Mombasa and will continue to exist. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the objective of the attack, particularly in Likoni over the weekend, was to create discord and disharmony between the two religions that dominate the Mombasa community. I remember discussing with the Governor of Mombasa and other leaders and we shuddered over the potential of some opportunistic violence, where somebody else attacked a mosque in a similar fashion. What would have been the retaliation and circumstances in Mombasa today? That is why I also have to commend the leaders of the Christian faith who have continued to exercise sobriety and restrained part of their followership even under such difficult circumstances. We hope that over the next couple of months, weeks or days, we shall convene a broad stakeholders’ initiative to ensure that people of all faiths and walks of life and all stakeholders in the security of Mombasa are able to sit down and deliberate progressively on the future of Mombasa County. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it saddens all of us to see such heinous acts committed. I was told reliably by security operators that a man in a jacket walked into the church and two others were standing outside hooded with sunglasses on. The one who was tall and slender walked into the church with an AK 47 under his jacket. He removed 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."
}