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{
    "id": 819207,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/819207/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 138,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Suba North, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Ms.) Odhiambo-Mabona",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 376,
        "legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
        "slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
    },
    "content": "I also want to encourage Members, and the Leader of the Majority Party made reference to it, that the Members who work the hardest in the House are the ones that rarely come back to Parliament. We do a lot of excellent work but a lot of times our constituents do not see. I encourage Members that even when we are working, let us not forget that our legislative role which is our primary role sometimes is not very evident to the public. We must therefore have a foot here and also a foot on the ground. Having said that, we also sometimes forget. I was speaking to one of the Members recently and the Member was asking me how come we have such a higher attrition rate for Members of Parliament. One of the things I have learnt over the years is that sometimes we are present and absent. You can be present in your constituency but absent. You would have touch and lose touch at the same time because we become larger than life. Some of us came as juniors and now are the seniors in the House. I sit and look at Members of Parliament and some level of greatness gets into their heads. You have just come in, one month, two months and you are more senior than everybody. You are speaking with authority. I look at Members and their confidence and they think they know more than the constituents. Let us always remember that you are always a servant. You can never be greater than your constituents. Never go ahead of your constituents. Learn what your constituents want. We always advise each other here. I remember Hon. Joyce Laboso whom we loved very much in our party. She at one point wanted to continue with the Orange Democratic Party (ODM) but we told her; “We love you very much, but go and see Hon. Raila Amollo Odinga. After you have spoken to him and thanked him for the support he has given you, find a way of leaving our party if you want to come back to Parliament.” I would like to advise the Members who come here and then chest-thump and speak like they do things better than all the rest of us to, please, slow down, especially when you are a woman Member of Parliament. We need you. We do not need you to go away. Learn to listen to your constituents; learn what your constituents want and follow what your constituents want. You can never be greater than your constituents. I know we have said it in jest that we will support. I know the Leader of the Majority Party was saying that he will really support Hon. Jakoyo Midiwo to be the chairperson. I would also back that. Jakoyo was a very diligent and active Member. He has a lot of history in relation to the House and I am sure the Member for Gem is not feeling threatened because he is equally a very strong and good Member. One of the reasons we need people like Jakoyo is because he also has the constitutional knowledge and history and why we created certain positions in this House. I sometimes get perturbed, for instance, when I was with my good friend Hon. Gladys Boss Shollei on Citizen TV in the morning when they were discussing rules that are supposed to 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."
}