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{
    "id": 570795,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/570795/?format=api",
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    "content": "colonialism. Some are documented, but there are so many other heroes who were silently forgotten, but are known in the communities they come from. Madam Temporary Speaker, in Trans Nzoia, for instance, we have heroes of the indigenous communities in that area. There are people like Kasis who fought very hard to resist the taking away of the Kony land in Trans Nzoia County. There is also Sangula and many others, who really fought but were vanquished and the land was taken. The community remembers them, but today very few people know about them outside their own community. There are also those heroes who came post-Independence. In Trans Nzoia, we can talk about people like Masinde Muliro, who was actually a Member of Parliament and Minister in the first Government. There is also Sen. Wamalwa who was the first Senator - I am the first Senator under the new Constitution – and father of the late Michael Wamalwa, who also became the Vice President of this Republic. Madam Temporary Speaker, in this country, we remember those we consider heroes by naming roads after them. But it is surprising that when you go to Kitale Town, some of the names of the real heroes are not there. You may even find streets named after people who have no history and are not known in Kitale and Trans Nzoia. You cannot tell how their names found their way on the streets of Kitale. We also have heroes who were recognized initially and some roads named after them. I have in mind Cheptikit, who was a Member of Parliament in the first Parliament in Trans Nzoia. He was nominated to represent the indigenous communities. At some point, his name was removed and replaced by another name. Regulations must be made in a way that if recognition has been conferred, then subsequent regimes do not just come and revoke them. I believe that this Bill will put in place measures to ensure that names will not just be removed at the whims of an individual at a certain level. Madam Temporary Speaker, I had the opportunity to travel with the Joint Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity to the United States of America (USA). We went to Alabama which is the home of the human rights struggle in America. We had the opportunity to visit their hall where they recognize their heroes; those who fought for freedom. I really felt that we have done very little to recognize our heroes. This Bill, therefore, is very opportune; that in every county, we shall have recognition for those who have contributed not only in the freedom fight, but also in various fields. Sen. Ong’era enumerated heroes in Kisii County. I also read that in Kisii, there are those who performed brain surgery since historical times - I do not know their names – before even modern medicine came. I understand that even the modern doctors are trying to find out how they were able to do it. I am told that some of them were women. Those are the heroes or heroines. The Senator for Kakamega should realize that women also have contributed a lot to society, beginning with the lady called Maria, who brought forth Jesus to this world. Madam Temporary Speaker, there are also heroes in various fields of art, sports and so forth. In my county, you will be surprised that there are so many Olympic and Commonwealth medalists who have never been recognized. You may not know that Ben Jipcho won the first Olympic medal in steeplechase and since then Kenya has dominated in that race. I do not think that we have recognised them well enough. Sportsmen such as 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."
}