Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 664131,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/664131/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 294,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise to comment about this very important issue. Hate speech and hate mongering is a threat to the fabric of this country. The bad manners of our politics will tear this country apart. It is nothing compared to sleeping in a cell and being arrested when Kenyans kill themselves and butcher each other because we politicians incite them. To the contrary, we continue to benefit from the same political environment that we find ourselves in when we are arrested, charged and taken to court. This behaviour must come to an end. The Chief Justice has just spoken about statesmen. This country yearns for leadership that is focused on competition on issues but not talking about human genitalia, tribes and religion all the time. As a leader of this House, we must rise to the occasion to condemn what we have witnessed in our country in the past few weeks that can tear this country apart. In the end, there will be no Senate to take care of this country. Our seats will be useless if the people of Kenya will continue killing themselves for us to remain or fight for power. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, be that as it may, the police and the Judiciary have a responsibility to abide by the law. Article 51 of the Constitution must be respected by the police and everybody who is going to preside over it. Although I heard the statements they made, as a lawyer, what I can say is that, maybe, they are morally wrong but they have the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Therefore, if what has been said about being denied access to medicine and food and not being allowed to be visited by their lawyers is true, the situation must be corrected immediately. The Inspector-General of Police must take corrective action. Secondly, if the Judiciary has made a decision about bail, it is not for this House to make a determination. There have been cases that this House has been a participant and we have lost in courts because we believe in the Independence of the Judiciary. The magistracy and the High Court which makes a decision must be respected. However, human rights of any Kenyan – because it could be them today and us tomorrow – must be respected. In conclusion, we must, as politicians, learn from what we have seen and learn from the behaviour of those who have gone before us and behave ourselves for the sake of our children and the children of our children."
}