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{
    "id": 60875,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/60875/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 251,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Eng. Maina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 75,
        "legal_name": "Ephraim Mwangi Maina",
        "slug": "ephraim-maina"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand to support this Motion. When we go for recess, unfortunately, we will witness some situations in this country which we never seem to address. Let me start by saying that the survival of the common man is threatened in this country. The peace of this country cannot be guaranteed until we ensure that the common man can access basic commodities. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, today, every Member of Parliament here is faced by his constituents with demands for basic things like medical care, school fees and even food at times. It is high time this Government addressed the issue of the survival of the common man as concerns basic commodities. It is a pity that we can stand here to talk with all the benefits we accrue yet, the common man cannot afford a packet of maize flour. It is a pity. I want us to reflect on this when we go for our recess. It will not be the peaceful kind of holiday that we normally enjoy because any of us who is in touch with his constituents knows the kind of problems they are facing. Let us not try to deceive ourselves. Since 2008 what have we done regarding reconciliation in this country? What have we done towards bringing our people together? Let us not be hypocrites that we will speak in a political rally or address a Press conference here in Nairobi and say we are not tribalists. We stand here and say we believe in one Kenya. When we go back to our villages we say “watch out. Such and such a tribe has taken this from us and one day we must retaliate.” We have done nothing towards reconciling this country. It is a pity. It is because of fear of what we will go through. Since 2008, in spite of the agreements that were signed, we still do not live in peace. We were expected to go around the country preaching to the people of Kenya about the need to live as one people in one country, but we have failed. Why do we have IDPs? Some of these IDPs were people who were living comfortably and contributing to the economy of this country. In fact, one wonders, when we keep on saying that we need to buy land for resettling these people, what happened to their land? What have we done as national leaders of this country towards solving this particular problem? Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we drive around this country and stop at bus stage in Siaya, Mbale, Eldoret, Karatina and Kwale, what do we witness? We witness 100 young men doing nothing. It is a pity, menace and a time bomb in this country. It is high time this Government and the leaders of this country came up with policies that call for the resources of this country to be employed towards creating employment for our youth. I wish to go on record as saying that I condemn the fact that this country should open doors for foreign companies to bring even prisoners to work here while our own young men have nothing to do. These young men are well educated with our resources. It is a great pity, danger and a time bomb. Any country that ignores the plight of the common man, for example, creating employment for its youth who are now numbering about 70 per cent of our population, is just deceiving itself. These are the issues that we should observe and when we come back here, we should try to tackle them. These are the issues that the Government should come up with policies to tackle. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Motion."
}