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"content": "A Government that leaves out one community or region in a critical issue like education is not recognizing the diversity of this country. Therefore, this Motion, if it speaks to this, will be emphasizing nothing new but the provisions of the Constitution. Mr. Speaker, Sir, Article 174(e) of the Constitution says:- “The objects of the devolution of government are- (e) to protect and promote the interest and rights of minorities and marginalized communities.” As I will be speaking later on in the Motion, you will find that the same bad practice that we found when national schools were being established is the very same pattern that has taken place in so far as the creation of new universities is concerned. It is important that, we, in one voice, support this Motion so that the Government realizes that they have started breaching the provisions of the Constitution as stipulated in Article 174(e). Mr. Speaker, Sir, Article 174(f) says:- “The objects of the devolution of government are- (f) to promote social and economic development and the provision of proximate, easily accessible services throughout Kenya. ” If we do not have a university in Mandera County, for example, that means that we are going against the letter and spirit of Article 174(f) which requires that this facility be easily accessible to the people of Mandera County. Mr. Speaker, Sir, lastly, Article 174(g) says:- “The objects of the devolution of government are- (g) to ensure equitable sharing of national and local resources throughout Kenya.” Indeed, it goes without saying that education and educational institutions are a great national resource. If education is not shared in the meaning of Article 174(g), the Government will be breaching the Constitution. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is important that if the Government listens to this particular Motion, they should do it in the interest of us, as leaders, and the consumers of the sweat of our leadership. It is only through establishment of these institutions in all regions of Kenya that we will give educational institutions the face of Kenya. I would like to remind hon. Senators present here today that we must all pause and acknowledge the presence of many eminent Kenyans, some of them in this House, who rose from abject poverty. It is only because of education that some of the men and women in this country have made it. Many of us read the story of the late Sen. Mutula Kilonzo. He is a man who rose from abject poverty to the position he got to. Therefore, no one in this country should ever take the issue of education lightly. As they say in philosophy, education, indeed, is the only social equalizer that is able to pick a child, like the late Sen. Mutula Kilonzo, and enable him to sit on the same high table with some of the people that he wined and dined with. Mr. Speaker, Sir, allow me to briefly comment on the historical perspective of education in this country. It is sad to note that for a whopping 50 years, educational institutions – at that time the premier institutions were national schools – were deliberately skewed in distribution so that they favoured the Nairobi and Mt. Kenya regions of this country. For example, for the last 50 years, until only two years ago, the 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."
}