Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 88705,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/88705/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 477,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. C. Kilonzo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 46,
        "legal_name": "Charles Mutavi Kilonzo",
        "slug": "charles-kilonzo"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I think time has come when we, politicians, must instill discipline in our supporters. We must be able to control our supporters when we win elections and when we have referenda. What happened at Uhuru Park, some of it based on happiness or otherwise, was unfortunate. Kenya is supposed to lead as a center of democracy in the region. Democracy means that even if you do not like my position, you respect me. My own Archbishop Njue was booed because he was telling people to vote “No”; have we told Kenyans what democracy is all about? We must tell Kenyans to be patient on occasions like that one. When the Sheikh was being told to sum up, it was not in good faith. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, booing in whatever form is uncivilized, uncourteous and uncouth. We must find a way of containing our supporters, whether it is in the constituencies or in Nairobi, because we want to preach to the world and the region that we are democrats. I did not like the people who were voting for the “No” side but I share the same seat with them here. That said, the Government needs to instill discipline in the Ministers. Good relations with our neighbouring countries, no matter whether we are uncomfortable with them or not, are crucial. For example, Uganda is our biggest trading partner. The Sudan is another big trading partner. The national interests of this country must come first. You might not like President Museveni of Uganda but remember that this is one of our biggest trading partners. We must learn to live with our neighbours, whether we like them or not. This message must be passed down from the leadership, all the way to the supporters. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when leaders openly criticize other heads of State negatively then their supporters will do the same. We must show the world that we are true democrats. True democrats are the ones who respect opinions and positions of other people, even where there is a dispute. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, to move on to the issue of Government indiscipline, surely even in the 1970s, in days of the first President of this Nation--- We do not want to go back to those days when Ministers used to be caned. You must be seen to be a Government. You must speak in one voice, and if you do not like it, you keep quiet. You cannot disagree with the Government and you come and want to put your case in front of the House when the other Ministers are giving the Government position. You want to use the Floor of the House to do so. Those are things that you do in the Cabinet."
}