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{
    "id": 440473,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/440473/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 130,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mugo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 85,
        "legal_name": "Beth Wambui Mugo",
        "slug": "beth-mugo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to also add my voice to this Motion. I support this Motion because it is common knowledge that Kenya has really contributed to peacekeeping missions in the world. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in 2001, Kenya was rated number six of all the countries that have contributed to peacekeeping in the world. By 2006, Kenya had sent over 10,000 soldiers to peacekeeping missions all over the world. That shows that even the UN highly values Kenya and Kenya stands tall in the international scene. Our foreign policy is well known. It is that of being neutral and supporting Africa and its development. To those who want to belittle Africa, time has come when Africa must be respected in the world, as equal partners. I believe that, that has been our policy. So, for anyone to claim that we do not have a foreign policy, I do not believe that, that is the case. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it is true that many Kenyans have not held very high positions at the UN. It is also true that we have top Kenyans like Hon. (Dr.) Kituyi who is holding a very high position in the UN. Justice Effie Owuor is at the ICC. I was in the Cabinet and so were many others who were with us in the Cabinet when the President lobbied very strongly for Justice Owuor to be appointed. He also lobbied for many other positions. It does not mean that the Government has not been lobbying for Kenyans to get high positions at the UN. Maybe we have not just got a fair share of what we would have wanted. We also know Prof. Miriam Were. In fact, the President personally lobbied, invited and called other Heads of States to support her, but unfortunately we did not get the position. But I think it would be naïve and in bad taste to stand here and say that Kenya has not participated at the UN. What the Mover asked is that we should improve on the number. There has been a bit of decline since 2006 and that is what we should be addressing now; how to get back to the numbers which we had. But it is not that we are not well respected."
}