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"speaker_name": "Sen. Mwaura",
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"legal_name": "Isaac Maigua Mwaura",
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"content": "ahead to form the FORD Asili party together with Martin Shikuku, while Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Kijana Wamalwa were left in the FORD-Kenya outfit. So, there was FORD-Agip and FORD-Muthithi. FORD-Asili went ahead to become number two in the presidential elections, winning 31 parliamentary seats. At that time, Parliament had about 188 seats. Sen. (Prof.) Ongeri may correct me because he may have more information. What is interesting is that Hon. Kenneth Matiba used over Kshs350 million of his personal fortune and put it into politics. His main concern was that even if he did so well, his family and many others in Kenya could not continue to live in a one-party dictatorship because their future was not secured. They started the Saba Saba riots, which is what created the multiparty democracy that we may take for granted. He started a newspaper that we all read today ‘ The People Daily ’. At that time it was published weekly. It had a strong message of ‘fair, frank and fearless.’ It contributed immensely to the democratization of this country, free speech and human rights. It is also through this that many of the journalists got an opportunity to be trained, and some of them, for example, David Bakari, are able to do that. I was also privileged in 2014 to be a columnist for The People Daily for about two years . Hon. Matiba was a believer in democracy. His mantra was ‘Let the people decide. Forward ever, backward never.’ He believed in haki na ukweli; truth and justice. Eventually because of engaging in politics, Hon. Kenneth Matiba’s business empire was destroyed. All the wealth that he had accumulated went to waste. He never died a rich man. In fact, the State had to compensate him. There is a case that is still pending of about Kshs504 million that he is supposed to be paid. He is a man who left his comfort for the sake of this country. He is an inspiration for our generation. Thirty years on, it is easy to forget this man. That is why I stand here to urge this august House to resolve, just like we did for other great leaders. We know our history, and history is not destiny. If we do not know where we are coming from, we will not know where we are going. We have a culture of eulogizing people when they die, attending funerals in thousands and giving great speeches, but we soon forget them. I ask this House, and by extension, His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta and Heroes Committee, to honour Kenneth Stanley Njindo Matiba by renaming Murang’a University of Science and Technology as Kenneth Matiba University of Technology. Madam Temporary Speaker, I beg to move and ask my dear brother, Sen. Kangata, to second."
}