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{
    "id": 66960,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/66960/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 306,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Laboso",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 63,
        "legal_name": "Joyce Cherono Laboso",
        "slug": "joyce-laboso"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I stand to second this very important Motion on the MDGs. This is a Motion which is definitely long overdue. One of the areas that we know have been an issue in this country has been that of inequalities and the division between the “haves” and the “have nots”. The MDGs clearly address the basic needs. The MDGs are about the basic human needs; basic education, reducing poverty, addressing gender inequality in our society, looking at health issues around women and children and addressing issues related to the HIV/AIDS scourge. The MDGs also address the issues of environment. These are issues that concern all of us. They are issues related to the security of this country. There is a role for us, as Parliamentarians. We have a clear role to play in ensuring that the MDGs are attained. It is not a foreign ideology. We have been told that when people talk about MDGs, it just sounds like one of those foreign abbreviations like Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs), International Monetary Fund (IMF) which sound very foreign and unreal. The MDGs are about real life situations. They are about our daily lives. What can we, as Parliamentarians, do about these goals? First of all, in our legislative responsibilities, it is very clear that Parliamentarians have a very clear role. We, as Parliamentarians, must look to see what legislation is coming to this House that can advance the MDGs. If we can look at the issue of education in this country, what kind of legislation is there? Yes, we have been told that MDG No. 2 is the one we are almost achieving because of our policy on Free Primary Education (FPE). However, we must continue to interrogate further and ask ourselves whether our children are getting quality education with regard to MDG No. 2. Whether, indeed, the issues that have been going around with regard to corruption with regard to FPE are true. If so, how are they addressed, so that we can have universal education for our children? The MDG No. 3 is on the issue of equality. We are grateful that we passed our new Constitution which will, indeed, ensure that we will have some level of representation as far as appointments are concerned. I would like to challenge our President on his nominations to consider gender equality. Recently, he nominated people to various positions, but there was not a single woman. It is a pity that out of five nominations that he made recently, there was no woman representation. Are we still under the new Constitution or are we back to business as usual? That is an MDG agenda. We are still not yet at par. The MDGs that are most off-track are No.4 and No.5, which are health-related and mainly to do with women and children. This country has continued to say that women and children play a very important role in the society. We are having problems with health issues and we want to ask the Government to address these two very important MDGs."
}