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{
    "id": 614273,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/614273/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 118,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Kanyua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 981,
        "legal_name": "Priscilla Nyokabi Kanyua",
        "slug": "priscilla-nyokabi-kanyua"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Speaker, I beg to move the following Motion:- THAT, this House adopts Sessional Paper No.8 of 2013 on National Values and Principles of Governance, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 22ndApril, 2014. The bit on national values and principles of governance is drawn from the Constitution of Kenya 2010, Article 10, in particular. Before we go to Article10, it will be important to look at the policy in detail, especially the history of the country. The policy starts by noting that we have more than 40 ethnic groups in this country. They are actually more than 40. When the actual number is done, it comes to slightly above 70 ethnic groups. However, the recognised ones in our laws and systems have been 42 ethnic groups. So, we have over 42 ethnic groups with distinct cultural and value systems and no semblance of statehood living in our country, Kenya. Looking at the history of our creation by the European settlers in the 1800s, the history of the one-party system, our removal of Clause 2(a) from the old Constitution and our new democratic environment, it has become important for the country to have a Sessional Paper on National Values and Principles of Governance. The problem statement has been well done in the policy. Attainment of Vision 2030 is one of the main reasons and drivers why we would need a national policy on Values and Principles of Governance. The Vision 2030 foresees Kenya as a developed country, as a middle income, where a majority of its citizens would enjoy a quality of life that is acceptable. For us to move to Vision 2030, it is very important for the country to have a set of national values and principles that guide the 42 ethnic communities that live together in this country. The Constitution 2010 also requires that we abide by Article 10. We should abide by the values that are encapsulated there and those that are shared across all the Kenyans in this country, and those that leaders are particularly called upon to begin to shape. Hon. Speaker, the National Economic and Social Council had identified the development of a national value system as part of the Council’s 2009-2010 agenda. They recognised that the country needed a value system to commit to. Even to those of us who have had time to look at the history of our country; it has become very evident that we need a common value system to subscribe to. The broad objectives of the policy are to institutionalise the national values and principles of governance as enshrined in the new Constitution. The scope of the policy is to apply to all State officers, public officers and all State organs. It will also apply to all persons in the application or interpretation of the Constitution, in enactment, application or interpretation of any law or in making or implementing public policy decisions. The scope of the policy is far-reaching. Every State organ, public officer and State officer is required to apply the national values and principles in their daily operations. The policy holds that national values define a people’s identity. There are fundamental beliefs of a nation guiding choices, actions and behaviour of its citizens. National values exert influence in the way citizens relate with each other and how communities engage each other. We clearly need a sense of identity in which we share a set of national values that would not allow a citizen to lift a finger against another citizen because that would be the value system of our country. That way, leaders will treat the 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."
}