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{
    "id": 895373,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/895373/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 216,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13131,
        "legal_name": "Johnson Arthur Sakaja",
        "slug": "johnson-arthur-sakaja"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, let me start on the issues of the unity of Kenya, because according to the law, that is the first thing that the President is supposed to talk about when talking about measures taken and progress achieved in the realisation of national values and principles of governance. This is as espoused in Article 10 of the Constitution. I am glad that the President affirmed resoundingly his commitment to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), popularly known as the „handshake.‟ For close to fifty years, this country has been divided down the middle. We have looked at each other, not based on the content of one‟s character or what they believe in; but the first thing we have always asked is what community a person comes from and what their surname is. There is nothing more important at this time for our country than the unity of our people. We, as political leaders, are to blame all the way from Independence to date because we have divided our people. We have made people look at each other and make political choices, not based on merit or content, but on what we call the „ mtu wetu’ syndrome. That must change. Madam Temporary Speaker, we are a beautiful country with so much potential, and we should actually be leaping. We are at the cusp of greatness, but the one thing that has held us back in this country has been tribalism. I remember a few days ago, when we were vetting the Inspector-General (IG) of Police, Mr. Mutyambai, that shade of our public life came to the fore. Normally, Members of a Committee sit – and this was a Joint Committee – and we are also allowed to have friends of the Committee attending. I pointed out that it cannot be a coincidence that the only Members who came as friends of the Committee from both Houses, coincidentally also happened to be from his community. There was no other friend of the Committee from any other community. I asked him to affirm that when he becomes the IG, he will not a Kamba IG. Yes, you come from that community, and we are proud of our cultural heritage; but even if you do not think in a tribalistic way, your community can then come and surround you. Then, before you know it, when we come to see you in your office, the secretary and driver is from your community; the promotions and certain departments are for members of your community. That is what we are used to in this country. Many of us, in this House, have Personal Assistants (PAs), drivers and secretaries are from our respective communities. It is as if that is the most important qualifying aspect. We must change those things. Therefore, Madam Temporary Speaker, in as much as the President affirmed the BBI and his endevour to correct the wrongs of the past, we are saying that it has now been a year since the handshake. We want to see actionable interventions. We want to see 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."
}