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{
    "id": 492372,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/492372/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 34,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. A.D. Duale",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 15,
        "legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
        "slug": "aden-duale"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Speaker. I did not have the opportunity to be here on 6th October, 2014 because I was in Mecca, performing my Hajj. I followed the unfolding events from Mecca. I expect Members like hon. Outa, who were told by their party leadership not to attend the Special Sitting of Parliament, to have an opportunity to speak to the President’s Speech today. This is, in fact, a great occasion for those who were denied their constitutional right to, as Members of Parliament, attend that Special Sitting to listen to the President. Get copies of the Speech and make serious contribution. That was for my good old friend from the last Parliament, hon. Outa. Hon. Speaker, on 6th October, 2014, I said that President Uhuru Kenyatta did the most unprecedented thing. He took a Solomonic step, a most humble decision that any sitting president has ever taken in the history of Kenya. He invoked Article 134 of the Constitution, as read together with Article 147(3), and designated the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, hon. William Ruto, the Acting President during the period that the President would be in The Hague. His father, our founding President, never did that. Former President Moi never allowed any of his many Vice-Presidents even to ride in his limousine. Former President Mwai Kibaki did not even allow his co-Principal of five years to act as President for even a second. President Uhuru Kenyatta did two extraordinary things as per those articles. He handed over power, including all the privileges and titles of the high office of the Presidency to his deputy. When he came back from The Hague, very extraordinarily, he rode in the presidential limousine with his Deputy President for eight hours. This is something which should go into the Guinness Book of Record. I am sure, from where they are seated, retired presidents Moi and Kibaki must be feeling that they have missed an opportunity. Today we should have been very happy and say: “President Uhuru Kenyatta did what former President Kibaki did.” As a Member of the last Grand Coalition Government, I know that it was unimaginable for the two co-principals to share anything, leave alone riding in the same limousine or the former President handing over power to the former Prime Minister. Even when they went to public functions together, they could not share a toilet. The former Prime Minister would have his own toilet and the former President would have his. President Uhuru Kenyatta has confirmed that leadership is about trust and teamwork; that leadership is not about the person, but about the country and the Constitution. In order to uphold and defend the sovereignty of this nation, and to preserve the dignity of the high Office of the President, President Uhuru Kenyatta temporarily became Mr. Kenyatta. He became an ordinary citizen. In fact, I was better than him because I could access the VIP Lounge at the airport. Hon. Kenyatta became a citizen. He queued like any other passenger. He wore jeans trousers. He held his dear wife by hand and checked into a Kenya Airways Flight at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) like an ordinary person. I remember that there were many Members of 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."
}