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{
    "id": 442372,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/442372/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 288,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, when I was a student at the University of Nairobi during the days of activism when we had the red panthers, red brigades and other groups all over the world in Europe and America, a young lady, Angela Davis, who is now a Professor of Law in a certain university in the Americas said thus:- “If they come for me in the morning, be sure they will come for you in the afternoon”. I think the message she was sending to us and to everybody in those days was that none of us is safe and none of us is immune in these matters of national security. My challenge today is not just to us but also to the international community because acts of terrorism – if indeed this was terrorism because I do not know what the investigations are going to show and I want to pray that it was not because of politics because if it was, then it is unforgivable – we must realize that it is a global phenomenon and it is going to affect all of us. That is why I get very sad and offended when I see people who we call our partners; the Europeans and the Americans, instead of standing with us during this moment when the country has been tried not because of our own doing but because terrorism is global and Kenya is only suffering the blow because of its proximity to Somalia and because of standing out and fighting terrorism, then they leave us. They have given travel advisories and evacuated tourists from hotels in Mombasa. We must realize that for the very first time in the history of this country a travel advisory was coupled with evacuation of travelers from Mombasa. That has never happened before. Immediately after that evacuation, we had a bomb blast in Gikomba Market and now we have the closure of a consulate in Mombasa and the attack in Mpeketoni and the pattern is going on and on. How is this pattern going to go on? My request is that at this moment of such big trials in our country, this is the time, whether you are in the Minority or the Majority in this House, whether you are inside or outside the House, to speak with one voice as a nation. This is the time that we cannot afford to make inflammatory statements because the citizens of this country may not understand us when faced with the Mpeketoni attack, then we go to public rallies and make statements that split or show that the country could be split. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to seek understanding among all Kenyans that we only have one nation called Kenya. Whether you are in the opposition or in the Government, you are a Kenyan first and foremost. You could be in Government next time but now you are in the opposition, but the country is one and it remains the same. If this country burns, it is going to burn for all of us. We must all join hands at a moment like this and speak with one voice. What happened in Mpeketoni is unforgivable and that is why I support what the Senate Majority Leader said in his opening address, that it is time, before we start apportioning blame, to complete investigations and know who slept on their job. It could be corruption causing people to sleep on their jobs. We have lost 50 lives at a time of peace in our country and other people are inciting other Kenyans. I submit that at this moment in time, heads should and must roll. Anybody and everybody who slept on their job and, consequently, caused this suffering to Kenyans must be made to relinquish their positions. Thank you. 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."
}