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"id": 904323,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wetangula",
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"speaker": {
"id": 210,
"legal_name": "Moses Masika Wetangula",
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"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, the late Hon. Fredrick Oduya Oprong‘ was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the then Busia North constituency, which later became Teso Constituency. The passing on of hon. Oduya Oprong‘, is important because he is among the five living, now four left, Members of the First Parliament of the Republic of Kenya. The only other living Members of the First Parliament remain mzee Moi, mzee Kibaki, mzee Njonjo and mzee James Osogo from Busia. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the late hon. Oduya Oprong‘ shall be remembered as a man who brought everlasting peace and tranquility between communities in Western Kenya, that is the Luhya and the Iteso. He shall be remembered as one of the MPs that rose from the ranks of trade unionism. He was the secretary general of the Kenya Mines and Quarries Workers Union before I came to Parliament. He served his people with distinction, having been voted out twice or thrice but came back. He served for two terms, beginning with the First Parliament. Then he went out, came back and went out again. We served with him in the Seventh Parliament. The only Members in this House who served with him at that time is Sen. Orengo, Sen. Khaniri, Sen. Ndwiga and Sen. Ongeri and myself. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we mourn the passing on of Oduya Oprong‘, who unfortunately, in 1994 was attacked and shot by a gang of thugs and a bullet was lodged in his brain until he passed on Monday. I thank the former President Moi for trying his best. He took him to London and United States of America (USA) but the lodging of the bullet was so delicate. They said that if they removed it, it would be the end of his life. So, he has lived with this bullet. However, more importantly, I talked to the family of the late hon. Oduya Oprong‘, and I was shocked to learn that a man who served four terms has been earning a pension of Kshs9000 a month. That is what he has been living on and his children have been unable to go to school. I urge the Government and the Senate Majority Leader that we should bring a Bill to this House so that even those who were unable to make a major contribution towards their pension those days can also be factored in some way through the budget so that leaders of this country can be given some decent sunset. Mr. Speaker, Sir, when you look at our former colleagues who come to this House, the only two with a difference were the late hon. Martin Shikuku and hon. G.G Nthenge, who came here and left without bothering any Member. Hon. Shikuku had an opportunity to prepare and tile his grave. He also kept six bulls for people to eat at his burial. However, we have buried former colleagues in very abject situations. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I urge the Government that former leaders - not that they are any more important than ordinary citizens - should be given some honor, respect and support so that when they come to the end of their lives, they can leave behind a legacy and families that people can look at. We shall remember the late hon. Fredrick Oduya Oprong‘ as a man of peace and few words. However, above all, as a man who, as an MP, made a big difference in his constituency of Busia North then later Teso Constituency which has been represented variously by the late Achiya Echakara, Pancras Otwani, the current governor of Busia, Ojamaa Ojamong and of course, Ojamaa Ojamong‘s father who died in a road accident in 1971 having defeated the late hon. Oduya Oprong‘ during his first term. 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."
}