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{
    "id": 570832,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/570832/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 262,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Zani",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13119,
        "legal_name": "Agnes Zani",
        "slug": "agnes-zani"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I thank Sen. Sang for this important Bill that tackles culture and heritage which is very critical in our country. This is an area which has been ignored especially when we compare with the western countries where independence days are marked as national holidays. Towns are full of statutes and history about histories right from the pre-civilization time. It is really quite an honour for their families. This Bill intends to do that for us in a devolved system which is critical for us because the basis of values and morals can go to the county level and not necessarily remain at the national level. Not that it is a bad thing, but it also gives more people a chance to be honoured. It is good that this Bill gives criteria for that process by forming a hall of fame selection committee that should be able to come up with rules on how to do the selection. This is clearly stipulated in the Bill so that at the end of the day, it is clear who should be chosen into this list. I know there is going to be a lot of competition and many people will feel that there are certain persons whose names have been omitted from the list. Criteria should, therefore, be well stipulated. Madam Temporary Speaker, there is also criteria for registration, documentation, information, items and preservations that are going to be put there so that we do not have somebody sneaking in a name without a specific formula being followed. Public participation has also been taken into consideration at Clause 13(2); there are going to be written submissions across all stages. People are going to participate to ensure that the right names are given. For us, the Mijikenda, we would not want Mekatilili wa Menza to be forgotten. She was a Mijikenda woman from the Giriama Community who became a hero of her time when very few women were able to come out and fight for Independence. We honour Mekatilili and she is one of the persons who I know for Kilifi County will definitely be considered. People like Ronald Ngala who fought for Independence of this country is also another person from the coast region who should not be forgotten to be honoured. People like Timothy Ramtu from Kwale County are also important people because they headed some of the first commissions that were very critical for this country. There is also Chingoro Stephen Zani who was one of the first people within the Digo community to start the Anglican Church among many other people from the coast region. Madam Temporary Speaker, I think setting up the criteria for nomination is very important. There is also the aspect of being able to come up with a petition for those who feel that they have been unjustly left out or have people they think should have been included but have been left out. Another important aspect of the Bill is at Article 19 (c) that puts a penalty for liability of those who pretend to be members of the hall of fame and yet they are not there has been put into consideration. 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."
}