Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 69839,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/69839/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 167,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "(Prof. Saitoti): Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand here to support this Motion. I share the sentiments that the Government does all in its power to ensure there is peaceful referendum on the future of the Southern Sudan and further urges the referendum scheduled for 9th January, 2011 to continue as planned. It is fairly clear that Kenya has always stood for peace in the Sudan. Historically, for more than 30 years, Kenya has played a neutral role to ensure that warring parties come together and agree to live in peace. More importantly, when it comes to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that brought peace to the Sudan five years ago, Kenya played a very major role. Indeed, it was one of the key players in fighting for the peace which then resulted into the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. For that reason, Kenya is one of the few countries that are guarantor of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Even much importantly, it is, indeed, true that Kenya is the Chair of the IGAD on the Sudan, a position delegated by the AU. As a matter of fact, about two and a half weeks ago, a Summit meeting of the IGAD was called by His Excellency the President in his capacity as the Chairman in Addis Ababa to work on these matters. In my capacity as the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, I was dispatched to Khartoum, Juba and Addis Ababa, to request on behalf of His Excellency the President, the Heads of States to attend that meeting and they all did. It was the best Summit of the IGAD on Sudan that was well attended. Our position was unveiled to the Summit that we want the two parties to remain on track in accordance with the stipulation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, namely, that the referendum must be held. The people of Sothern Sudan must be given the opportunity to express their wish one way or the other in an extremely transparent and democratic manner. Kenya also urged that the days of using violence to solve problems should be over. Therefore, they must respect that. I want to inform this House that both the Presidents of the Sudan and the Vice- President Salva Kirr, stated clearly and gave the assurance that they will ensure that, indeed, the referendum will be held on 9th January. They gave this assurance although by that time, there were a few remaining issues such as the day and issues of citizenship. They stated clearly that they are going to respect the outcome of that referendum."
}