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{
    "id": 575157,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/575157/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 308,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Lati",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2762,
        "legal_name": "Jonathan Lelelit Lati",
        "slug": "jonathan-lelelit-lati"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I would like to thank the Joint Committee on National Cohesion and Equal opportunity. The concept of having an equal, just, cohesive and integrated society in itself is not only palatable to Kenyans and everybody in this world, but it is something that we must embrace. We have no option but to go in that direction. I would like to advise the Committee that listening to all Members is very important. From what I know about Kenya today, for us to get that just, cohesive and integrated society, economic disparity and availability of economic opportunity equitably across Kenya must be looked at. That is where the whole problem lies today. The framers of our Constitution saw that. Amongst the few funds that are constitutionally provided for, is the Equalisation Fund. Those framers saw that, and everybody visiting Kenya like Obama would see in a single day that the country is very different in terms of economic opportunities and that something was required to bring this country at par. As we talk today, the sad thing is that there is not a single project of the Equalisation Fund that has been implemented. We all have to blame ourselves. For how many years should things that are rightfully provided for by the Constitution not be given to our people? What else can we get in this country equitably if we cannot get things that are provided for by the supreme law of this land? We call upon the Jubilee Government to speed up the implementation of the Equalization Fund. The Government should release that money so that a kid in Taita Taveta, Samburu, Ukambani and Kibera can try and catch up with the rest of the kids in Kenya. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, employment opportunities are economic opportunities. We need to provide a level playing field with the areas that are marginalised by giving some sort of affirmative action. We have to be honest here. There are jobs that are given today in this country but apart from the educational qualifications that all of us have, there are other reasons why people get them. I have seen people in this House saying: “Because so and so was fired, we must get somebody from our community.” If we truly want to get a cohesive and integrated country, how do we deny a Kenyan who is more qualified than the person from your community who lost the job simply because he does not come from your community? Kenyans see this, the world sees this and we cannot move away from these problems we are having in terms 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."
}