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{
    "id": 65820,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/65820/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 301,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Laboso",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 63,
        "legal_name": "Joyce Cherono Laboso",
        "slug": "joyce-laboso"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand to second this Motion. I want to congratulate hon. Gumbo for thinking aloud and bringing this Motion which is definitely long overdue. It is sad to note that, despite all that has happened in the sports arena; despite our stunning performance as a country in that arena, we have nothing to show for it in our country. We have nothing in terms of recognition, value and support to show those people that we appreciate what they have done for this country. This is one Motion that I believe all hon. Members should support, so that we begin the process of addressing the anomaly. We have heard the sad story of the comparison of two heroes from two countries. What is it? Is there anything special in Uganda that they felt they had to do for their hero? He is just the only one. What about Kenya? We have been told how many medals have been brought into this country. We cannot underscore the importance of sports in national unity. Yes, we are a country that has grown, over the years, through our own careless mistakes, to get into ethnic divisions. We know that whenever our athletes, footballers and boxers are in the international arena, all is forgotten and we join hands together in applauding and supporting them. The sad part of it is that, as soon as that event is over, we quickly get the banner and forget what the people had done. This is one arena that we need, as a Government, to put our resources and efforts to ensure that we use. It is one of the areas we can use to create the feeling that has eluded us for a long time. We should begin to think as Kenyans before we think about our ethnic cocoons that we all come from. It is sad to see that when sports boards are being constituted either in football or athletics, there is nobody who thinks about the athletes who have done this country proud. People sit in a board room and come up with names of people who do not know what athletics, cricket or any other games are all about. Those are people who have no interest and it is no wonder that we will always have wrangles in the football boards. Are those people former footballers? What happened to the Kadenge’s of this world; people who played a major role in the past? Why are they not the ones heading the boards dealing with football because they have a passion for the sport? They must be the ones to drive the football agenda. That should also happen in the athletics arena as well. We must have former athletes running the athletics agenda. It is worth to note and it is sad that recently, we put together a list of heroes - as we called them - and paraded them on Mashujaa Day. After that, what happened next? We must do a follow-up after the Mashujaa Day. We must have that fund. The fund is long overdue. People like Conjestina, we all saw how she looked in hospital the other day. Those people get hurt while representing our country. They can also get into psychological traumas. We must have something that we can support them with, so that they do not end up in a situation like the one we saw Conjestina in. I cannot reiterate more that those heroes must be seen. We should have them on billboards, talk about them and show them that we value them and appreciate what they have done for this country. You know that the Kalenjin community is overly represented in the athletics field. That has even become a topic of research. What is it that makes those people run the way they do? Is it dietary, genetic or the terrain of the area they come from? Those are issues that we must bring out and show that, as a country, we value and recognize the contributions that those people have made. Due to lack of time, and since I want other hon. Members to make their contributions, I beg to second the Motion."
}