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{
"id": 461789,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/461789/?format=api",
"text_counter": 14,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Shebesh",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 377,
"legal_name": "Rachel Wambui Shebesh",
"slug": "rachel-shebesh"
},
"content": "November, 2011, Judge John Bates, a US District Judge, ordered compensation to be paid to the Americans and their employees, but kept mum on the Kenyan victims. We hereby confirm that efforts in terms of letters addressed to the relevant persons and Ministries and oral representations to the concerned parties have been made about the matter addressed, but no adequate response has been received. We confirm that the issues in respect of which the Petition is made are not pending before any court of law, constitutional or legal body. Therefore, your humble petitioner prays that Parliament, through the Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, looks into the welfare of the bomb blast victims and summons the Office of the Attorney- General and the US Embassy to devise a way forward concerning the issue of compensation, make any other order or direction that it will deem fit in the circumstances of the case. Your petitioners will forever pray.” I present it as the Nairobi County Member of Parliament, hon. Rachel Shebesh. I just want to give two or three clarifications on this matter. One is that after the bomb blast, which happened 15 years ago, there was an attempt by the Government then to look into the plight of the victims. About 243 Kenyans died. Twelve Americans died in the bomb blast; one was of Ethiopian origin and another one was of unknown origin. USAID, in collaboration with the US Embassy, started a programme of medical assistance as well as school fees assistance, but after 2002, this programme was abruptly, and without notice, stopped by the USAID. As I speak, many families who were affected by the bomb blast continue to seek medical services. The US Government gave US$45 million to the Kenya Government but this money did not go in any way to compensate the victims or those who had been left by those who died. This money, all Kenyans know, went into the repair of the Co-operative Building, Red Cross, AMREF, Operation Recovery as it was called at that time, Amani Counselling and to doctors who did a very good job at that time; no money went directly to help the victims, many of whom got injuries that led to disabilities, to continue with their lives. Therefore, we are praying, following a resolution by the US Congress, which was passed in 2007 and was brought to the Floor of Congress by Jesse Jackson Junior, supported by other Congress Members, that after the 11th September, 2001 the US Government agreed to pay compensation to the victims of the bomb blast in their country, but the East African bomb blast victims of 1998 had never been compensated. Through a resolution of the House, they agreed that as the September 11th bomb blast victims were being compensated, the bomb blast victims of the US Embassy blast, which happened at the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, also be compensated. This is the only avenue, this being the House that represents the people of Kenya and the bomb blast victims, that we can pursue the resolution made by the US Congress. Some of the stories that I have listened to of those bomb blast victims are stories that if told here, would bring tears to our eyes. But we are obligated, as a legislative House, to do more than pity and listen. We can do more in our legislative power about this Petition. Therefore, I humbly pray that this Petition be received by this House and by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee and the relevant action be taken. I, therefore, humbly submit this Petition. 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."
}