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{
    "id": 570790,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/570790/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 220,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Ong’era",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13117,
        "legal_name": "Janet Ongera",
        "slug": "janet-ongera"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity so that I also contribute to this Bill. Like other Senators who have spoken before me, I would like to congratulate the Mover for bringing a very timely Bill into this House which is about honouring our heroes who struggled for freedom and justice to our land. Madam Temporary Speaker, in the preamble to the Constitution, the second and third paragraphs of the preamble, if I may quote, says that:- “HONOURING those who heroically struggled to bring freedom and justice to our land: PROUD of our ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, and determined to live in peace and unity in one indivisible sovereign nation:” Madam Temporary Speaker, the reason why I looked at this preamble was to link it to the fact that for the very first time in this country, we will devolve our culture and heritage and reward our unsung heroes and heroines in our counties; a thing that has never happened in this country. Madam Temporary Speaker, should this Bill be assented to, it will mean that for the very first time, we shall award and induct many of our heroes and heroines at the grassroots. If that happens, we will make them our unsung heroes and heroines who many times we have ignored. Madam Temporary Speaker, I want to go to the depths of this Bill. I want to look at Clause 6 of the Bill. I support the suggestion by the distinguished Senator for Kakamega County. We may need to consider changing the composition. I persuade the Mover to think about what the Senator proposed. We should not leave such an important task to the deputy governor and the county executive committee. We should consider the fact that the governor could be the chairperson. The Senator and Members of Parliament (MPs); both nominated and elected, should also be part of the composition. Madam Temporary Speaker, Clause 7 of this Bill outlines the functions of the selection committee. I am very glad that the Bill has set out areas in which the selection committee should receive recommendations from various interests. I persuade the Mover to consider the issue of public participation at the grassroots which you talked about. There could be people with special interests from the counties or minority groups whose interests may not be considered. A provision should be set in so that public participation about who eventually should be heroes or heroines is taken care of. That way, we will avoid the practice of nepotism and issues of corruption. Madam Temporary Speaker, Clause 11 outlines who may become a hero or heroine. I am very happy that issues of exemplary qualifications have been stated. For a person to qualify, he or she should be somebody who has had outstanding achievements. That makes me think about many unsung heroes especially in the Kisii Community. These include people like Nyantika Mayiora, Otenyo Nyaigoti and Moraa Nyangiti who 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."
}