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{
    "id": 843852,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/843852/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 147,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wetangula",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 210,
        "legal_name": "Moses Masika Wetangula",
        "slug": "moses-wetangula"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I start by welcoming the distinguished Senators back to the House after a month’s recess. Thank you, for allowing me to make the following Statement on a matter of general topical concern under Standing Order 46(2). On 18th August, 2018, the sun set on a great son of Africa - Kofi Annan from Ghana - at the age of 80 years. He shall be remembered as the first Sub-Saharan Africa or black African to have ascended, through sheer hard work, the ranks of the United Nations (UN) system to the position of Secretary General. It is important to mention that before him Boutros Boutros Ghali from Egypt had been honoured to be the first African to ascend to that office. Kofi Annan shall be remembered as a UN civil servant who rose from a junior officer to the rank of Secretary General. Most of his predecessors and, indeed, successors, have risen through political patronage, having served as ministers, prime ministers or even presidents in their sponsoring jurisdictions. Madam Temporary Speaker, Kofi Annan shall equally be remembered as the Secretary General that paid the greatest attention to the role of civil society and the female gender in human development. He paid keen attention and made critical intervention in the fight against poverty, deprivation and under-development. Indeed, it is Kofi Annan who gifted the developing world with Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that have now been succeeded by yet another initiative known as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A soft spoken, well-groomed and medium height African gentleman, Kofi Annan was also described as the man with a soft voice, but a strong message. So strong and firm was Kofi Annan that the big powers and bullies of the world’s political stage were unable to manipulate and/or unduly influence his decision making. He resisted military aggression by the mighty against the meek and weak. He was on record as opposing the American invasion of Iraq under the guise of Iraq’s possession of weapons of mass destruction. History and facts were to eventually prove him right. Madam Temporary Speaker, you may remember how the US Secretary of State, Collin Powell, graphically and nationally detailed Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and their threat to the world peace and security to the UN Security Council. It turned out to be utterly false, and Kofi Annan was right. Kenyans will remember after the violent dispute that arose after the 2007 General Elections in our country that was steered by the African Union (AU) under the Chairmanship of President John Kufuor of Ghana, the eminent persons from the continent in the persons of Kofi Annan, President Benjamin Mkapa and mama Graça Machel who were appointed to mediate between President Kibaki’s Party of National Unity (PNU) and Hon. Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), the successful mediation between the two protagonists saw the partial change of the The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.  "
}