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{
    "id": 781056,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/781056/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 249,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Baya",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13373,
        "legal_name": "Owen Yaa Baya",
        "slug": "owen-yaa-baya"
    },
    "content": "Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. I support this Motion moved by the Leader of the Minority Party. When on that Friday I saw the guy called “my president” calling the other one his President, I said: Who am I not to call the other guy my President? I think this country has moved on. One of the things that are important to note is that I come from a very politically-sensitive region, which hosts the bulk of the tourism sector of this country. The events of that Friday have already started to change the bookings in the area. We are looking forward to the tourism sector, especially this season, to move forward until the end of June. So, speaking about the second season, hotels are already registering high bookings because of the event of that Friday. Therefore, in order for this country to move forward, politics should be put at the back banner and the economic pillars be looked at as to what drives this country. More importantly, the idea of inclusivity is what will take this country forward. For many years, the Coast region has felt excluded. As the coastal region, we would still stand to say that the Mijikenda Community has been denied a position in the Government, especially in the Cabinet. I hope with the new political pact that is coming up through the newly initiated dialogue, His Excellency the President will take the opportunity to name a Cabinet Secretary from the Coast region, especially from amongst the Mijikenda Community, so that we can truly feel we have been properly included in this country’s development. There are many issues. I was the person who was looking forward to bring here a secession issue, but with the unfolding events, we will probably need to start revisiting our position. However, in order for us to revisit our position, as the dialogue continues, one of the agenda items should be to discuss the Coast as a region and its relationship with the rest of the country. For many years, we have felt marginalised and we continue to feel that way. We actually thought that one of the agendas of the Jubilee Government was to continue marginalising the Coast region. I also want to be in the dialogue team so that I can speak for the Coast. I am in the ODM from the Coast region. I want the issues of the Coast region to be aptly represented at the dialogue table. The fact that two or three leaders were not part of that historical moment, it should not derail the goodness of the moment. My brothers in FORD-Kenya, Wiper and African National Congress (ANC) feel short-changed, but I am encouraged because I have just read some breaking news that they have announced that they also want to meet the President. Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka has made it public that he is ready and he wants to meet the President as soon as he arrives from Cuba. That posits a good position for this country to move forward. Therefore, I support the dialogue process. I look forward to a more inclusive Kenya that respects everyone. I hope this moment of dialogue will stop the vicious cycle that we have, where every general election sees the economy of this country going down because of high The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}