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{
    "id": 587124,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/587124/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 169,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Dido",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2749,
        "legal_name": "Col (Rtd) Ali Rasso Dido",
        "slug": "col-rtd-ali-rasso-dido"
    },
    "content": "Regarding the mutual peace and security pact, as a community, we must collectively address the problems of piracy, terrorism, cross border crime to ensure that law and order prevail. As a community, if we must have a single customs territory, we can only effectively function when there is peace and security within the partner states. With good coordination within the border points, where most of the land-based trade takes place throughout the region, we can undertake trading activities without hindrance. Under Article (8) (9) of the Peace and Security Pact--- Article 8 is on common defence while Article 9 is on security. As a Committee, we looked at this particular Report on the basis of our national interest. Do the pact and the protocol aid Kenya in achieving her national interests? The important question in this regard lies in the justification for having the regional peace and security arrangement. In the area of security, we neighbour very fragile states. We are in a region where terrorism and piracy are rampant. Kenya is actually, on behalf of the international community, “boxing” above her weight. We are carrying more load than most of the countries in this region. Therefore, bringing other partner states on board to support us in this area, in terms of co-operation and co-ordination, is in Kenya’s best interests. In the area of economic integration, it can only succeed if security, peace and stability prevail within the region. There must be a mechanism for crisis prevention, conflict resolution and combating terrorism and piracy, as well as for tackling transnational and cross border crimes fuelled by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. The countries neighbouring Somalia around the gulf are experiencing instability. There are collapsed nation states within that region. The major trade threats we have today are from collapsed state neighbours to the East and North-East of us. The inflow of small arms and light weapons is causing a lot of insecurity; it is undermining our domestic security. Therefore, the protocol will help EAC address that challenge. In addition, the protocol attempts to promote good governance. Whenever there are elections in this region, there is fear as to whether a particular partner state will easily pull through. If we come together and clearly address governance issues and other issues that affect the countries in this region, we will be able to promote good governance. Hon. Speaker, we ask ourselves whether both the Protocol and the Pact safeguard Kenya’s national interest. Do they safeguard the people of Kenya and their interests when they do business across the East African region? The answer is clearly “yes”. Therefore, both the Protocol and the Pact are in keeping with our Constitution. The treaties and conventions which have been signed must be ratified by the National Assembly, so that they form part of our statutes. With those remarks, I beg to support."
}