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{
    "id": 504076,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/504076/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 150,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Mwaura",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13129,
        "legal_name": "Isaac Maigua Mwaura",
        "slug": "isaac-mwaura"
    },
    "content": "former Members of Parliament who would gladly greet us. It is not because of our contribution on the Floor of the House, it is because they want us to give them some money. It is very disheartening because if you look at some of them, they are the people you used to read about in the newspapers. Those are the people who may have motivated you to join politics. The kind of picture you are confronted with is very disheartening. I am sure most Members of Parliament will agree with me that the moment we came to Parliament, we found it was very different from what we thought it was. We got the shock of our lives. I remember asking what I had gotten myself into. It is like when you are on top of a hill. You can see very clearly because of the vantage position you find yourself in. If you look at the way politics is structured in this country, it favours old retired persons. But more young people like us have got into politics. Right now, both the National Assembly and the Senate have 46 hon. Members who are below the age of 35 years. Going by the statistics that have been presented, if, for example, you are 30 or 35years for that matter, and you get out of Parliament at 40 years, what are you going to do with your life? It is like getting a curriculum vitae and then burning it. That is the reality because the way we execute oversight; the way we execute representation requires some form of activism. So, therefore, you cannot be trusted by the society. You are seen as a trouble-maker. You are seen as a rubble rouser. You are seen as somebody who cannot stand your ground. That is not what is required in terms of professional conduct. That is not what is required in terms of following the hierarchy within an established structure. It is, therefore, true that the employability of those of us who get in Parliament is really compromised. It is almost zero. I remember one day long ago when I was in a bus and one of the former Members of Parliament from Juja whose name I withhold had his car stalling on the road because of lack of fuel. All of us in the bus engaged in a very ridiculous discussion saying: “See that former Member of Parliament. The way he used to fight for the people and now he cannot even afford fuel.” The touts were taunting him. At least, he had a car and he could move. However, what about many others? Even boarding a matatu is stressful because people will start asking: “How comes?” I remember one day I was having a conversation with the Leader of Minority Party and he told me of his experiences. I wish he was in the House to talk about that because he was also a former Member of Parliament before he was re-elected. So, those are Members who would even want to imagine that they can get political appointments from those who may have won power. However, it does not happen because when they are seen in people’s offices, they are looked at as bothers. They look like they are just coming for hand-outs. They have no respect or dignity. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, there is that concern that when you get into Parliament, you are not a professional or educated. However, all of us know that this is a House that is full of talent and knowledge that require to be harnessed so that being in politics is not criminalised. That has been the case because of the repercussions that you have to face when you get into politics. I remember very well when I was starting to engage in politics at the university. I was warned and told: “This thing will finish you.” You can, indeed, say it is true because even if you succeed, the resources that are required are so much. Even if you are a Member of Parliament, people will say: “You are doing well, but unatuwacha namna 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."
}