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{
    "id": 963313,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/963313/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 245,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Ongeri",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 124,
        "legal_name": "Samson Kegeo Ongeri",
        "slug": "samson-ongeri"
    },
    "content": "of the African type, they were the most scintillating and captivating. When you got to the floor, you would get well if you were sick. Today, we have got some acrobatic standings which have no meaning. They only end up breaking your bones or ribs if you happen to take a wrong direction. That is the culture we are perpetuating, instead of perpetuating a culture that gave us not only accuracy in what we perform, but also told us about the story of our people; where they came from and where they are going to. These are the kind of things we need to remember. When I was the Minister for Technical Training and Applied Technology, I was amazed at the kind of skills and talent galore that we had in our people. No wonder if you walked on Biashara Street, Moi Avenue and River Road, they were occupied by foreigners who were doing retail businesses. As soon as we imparted skills, artisans who perfected their skill performances drove out all those who used to be on Tom Mboya Street and River Road, and they went to Industrial Area. Industrial development in this country came because the Jua Kali people took over. If you go to Gikomba Market and what have you, the items being produced there are as a result of the skills and knowledge that is inherent in our people. I made a proposal that there are those who may not have gone to traditional schools or universities, but in their own specialization, they are master craftsmen. They did not have to go to the universities to get PhDs, but are master craftsmen. They can do an antiquity table for you, yet they are not being recognised and assimilated into our society. These kind of people find fame within the local area because they are known for their expertise. There are those who used to make clothes using sewing machines. Nowadays, the machines make clothes according to the sizes that some of us cannot fit in. If you went to a local tailor and they took your measurements, they would give you a fitting that takes your body characteristics without missing anything. I appreciate science and technology and the rapidness of doing things, but we have people who do little embroideries. The Maasai women who make embroideries have found fame in other places. We also have the kiondo. I tried to patent the kiondo that kikuyu women used to make, and before I realised, the Japanese Government had done a patent for synthetic kiondos . Therefore, we lost out on what I would call an intellectual property, which would have brought a lot of money to the poor women from the former Central Province in Mt. Kenya region, who were studiously doing the kiondo weaving. The Koreans took the idea of the fans, beds and mattresses that we used to make from papyrus. These are things that could be improved on to get better things, yet those people are not recognised."
}