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{
    "id": 896387,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/896387/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 298,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Nyaribari Masaba, NAPK",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Ezekiel Ombaki",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13458,
        "legal_name": "Ezekiel Machogu Ombaki",
        "slug": "ezekiel-machogu-ombaki"
    },
    "content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker for the opportunity to contribute to the President’s State of the Nation Address which was done on 4th of this month. First, we know the purpose of the Address if we look at Article 10 of our Constitution, which is on principles of governance and national values. Indeed, the foundation and the basis of success of any nation are principles of governance and national values: values of accountability, transparency, national unity and all the ingredients that form that particular Article of the Constitution. Our national development has been affected because so far we are not conforming to Article 10 on the principles of governance and national values. That is why corruption in this country has reached threatening levels. Indeed, it cannot be business as usual because what has affected almost each and every sector of the economy of our country - agriculture, education, water, dams - is nothing other than corruption. So, it has to be not business as usual but something that has to trigger real action in addressing this issue for our country to get to the level we want to reach as far as our development is concerned. The President addressed himself to various issues of tackling this enemy or cancer, but I think there is still much that needs to be done. Yes, we can see there is political goodwill, but we have to walk the talk. We should use the multiagency approach where all the institutions, right from the DCI, the DPP to the EACC, have to do much more than what is being done now because Kenya should be comparing with the Asian tigers like Singapore and South Korea as far as development is concerned. We cannot reach that level because of our level of corruption. If we cannot get the culprits, we have to think of declaring amnesty such that those people who have stolen public funds can return the public funds within a given period of time. As much as the President addressed himself to this issue, he has to go a step further. Sincerely, if someone is being investigated, there is some evidence and that person continues to be in office, then Kenyans will not have faith in the war against corruption. So, more has to be done. Secondly, the President was very categorical that there is no going back on the BBI. National unity is one other key thing that we have to embrace if our development has to reach a level that we want. When we talk about national unity which, indeed, is the prerequisite of our development because tranquillity and peace are key we have to be accommodative such that we pull each and every person along when we talk of national unity. Finally, the President talked about infrastructure funds because of the transition of 100 per cent from primary school to secondary school. I would suggest that rather than that money going through the Ministry of Education, it is given to the NG-CDF because over the years the 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."
}