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EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY ______IN THE EAST AFRICAN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (EALA) The Official Report of the Proceedings of the East African Legislative Assembly 135TH SITTING - THIRD ASSEMBLY: SIXTH MEETING – FOURTH SESSION SPECIAL SITTING Thursday, 31 May 2015 The East African Legislative Assembly met at 3:50 p.m. in the in the Chamber of the Assembly, EAC Headquarters, in Arusha, Tanzania. EAC ANTHEM

PRAYER (The Speaker, Mr. Daniel .F. Kidega, in the Chair.)

(The Assembly was called to order)

______the Assembly notwithstanding that he or she COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR is not a member of the Assembly if in his or her opinion, the business of the Assembly The Speaker: Honourable members, renders his or her presence desirable; amidst us today are Their Excellences, Mama Ngina Kenyatta, former First Lady AND WHEREAS in the opinion of the of the Republic of Kenya and Mama Miria Speaker, the attendance and presence in the Obote, former First Lady of the Republic of Assembly of the former First Ladies of the Uganda. Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Uganda is desirable in accordance with the I have, in accordance with the provisions of business before the Assembly; Article 54 of the Treaty, invited them to address this Assembly. I now would like to NOW THEREFORE it is with great make the following proclamation to pleasure and honour, on your behalf welcome their presence in the Assembly. honourable members, to welcome the former First Ladies of the Republic of PROCLAMATION Kenya and the Republic of Uganda in this Assembly.” “WHEREAS Clause 1 of Article 54 of the Treaty provides that the Speaker of the Assembly can invite any person to attend Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates

WELCOME REMARKS Eleanor Roosevelt, the longest serving First Lady of the United States of America, who The Speaker: Your Excellency Ngina served between March 1933 to April 1945 Kenyatta, former First Lady of the Republic discounted the theory when she said, “As of Kenya, Your Excellency Miria Obote, life developed, I faced each problem as it former First Lady of the Republic of came along. As my activities and work Uganda, the Chair and members of the broadened and reached out, I never tried to Council of Ministers, the honourable avoid issues. I tried never to avoid an issue. members of EALA, distinguished ladies When I found I had something to do, I just and gentlemen, all protocol observed, good did it.” afternoon. I associate this quote to these great ladies Let me take this singular opportunity to seated here. In many ways, you opted not to welcome you all to the second and last be contented to take your place by the week of the Sixth Meeting of the Fourth fireside and simply look on. Instead, you Session of the Third Assembly. took your place in society and opted to go above and beyond the call of duty. You took I am particularly grateful to the founding time to midwife and nurture the First Ladies of this great region, Their foundational processes of building the Excellences, Mama Ngina Kenyatta and young Partner States and the then EAC. Mama Miria Obote for gracing EALA at this unique occasion, which is a first for the We acknowledge your instrumental Assembly since its inauguration 15 years contribution to the birth of the East African ago. Community in 1966 and the several hours you logged in beside Their Excellences Today presents a special occasion for the Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Mzee Apollo Milton Assembly to benefit from the collective Obote and Mwalimu Julius Nyerere to experiences of the region’s founding first ensure the realisation of the first East ladies. Looking through this Chamber, a African Community. few of the members here today may have witnessed your work back then. Some of Today we celebrate you. You are walking the members of the Assembly were yet to encyclopaedias in your own rights and be born, including me while others were repositories of information who, despite perhaps too young to comprehend and only aging gracefully, still credit, follow the read about your deeds later in history development of this great region, and are books. supportive to the EAC unto this day. We wish you longer life and a healthy life. In this regard, we therefore feel truly privileged to have the opportunity to listen Late last year, for example, Mama Ngina to your wise counsel this afternoon. A few Kenyatta met with the EALA Kenya political analysts have in the past contended chapter in Gatundu in Kenya, while in that back then, it was the duty of a wife to a August 2014 a group of EALA women head of state to merely interest herself in members paid a courtesy call on Mama whatever her husband was involved in and Maria Nyerere in Dar-es-Salaam. Mama agree to travel the long and sometimes Obote, on her part, is still involved in the lonely road and for the husbands who are political spheres in Uganda and continues not merely ordinary presidents but freedom to follow the development of EAC closely fighters, the road must have been very from Uganda and in Kampala. She was the rough, long and lonely. first Ugandan lady and East African lady to be the President of one of the oldest

Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates political parties in Uganda; the Uganda Peoples’ Congress. Indeed, in retrospect, the collapse of the Community in 1977 was sad and She did not stop there but contested for the catastrophic. A great loss in opportunities highest office in the land. We congratulate and a setback for the region but today, I you. stand here convinced that the step we have taken as a Community since its re- The Assembly, at its Fifth Meeting of the establishment are fundamentally Fourth Session on March 16, 2016, passed underpinned on the Treaty for the a resolution recognising the role you have establishment of the EAC and we are on continued to play in galvanising East Africa course for full integration of the region. in the integration process and in the service of East Africans as informal institutional Integration continues to proceed at a pace memory. with major achievements recorded during the entry of Rwanda and Burundi in 2007 We are happy that you still show leadership and that of South Sudan this year. We enjoy in your own right and continue to be a fully-fledged Customs Union, are involved in numerous humanitarian causes implementing the Common Market and throughout the EAC region, much akin to there is a desire to ensure that the Monetary your active and prolific years when you Union is achieved. worked for political and social justice and advocated for a wide range of human rights Your Excellences, my assurance to you is issues. that the African dream is alive. As EALA, we are supportive of the integration pillar Your Excellencies, honourable members, I and are linked between the institution of am obliged to briefly state the history of EAC and the people of East Africa. integration in order to bring the perspective of this day into focus. Excellences, distinguished members, ladies and gentlemen, as the region progresses East Africa is credited with one of the towards a Political Federation, the role of longest experience of regional integration the Assembly shall be to close ranks with predating the colonial state. As early as the stakeholders to ensure that the dream of 1900, Kenya and Uganda had agreed to the East Africans becomes a reality and the establish a Customs Union between them. unity of the African people. Tanzania, then Tanganyika, joined the Customs Union in 1922. Today we engage one of the unique category of stakeholders, whose supportive Integration arrangements were achieved role they played in the independence of our early in the dispensation including the East respective countries and later in the African High Commission 1948 to 1961, formation of the first EAC maybe the East African Common Service unqualified or qualified but we as an Organisation of 1961 to 1967 and the East Assembly truly acknowledge the role these African Community 1966 to 1977. At the great daughters of Africa have played. time of its collapse, the Community had made great strides and benefits to the Excellences, distinguished guests, ladies people were immense including free and gentlemen, let me therefore take this movement of people, opportunities for opportunity once again, to sincerely thank employment and viable institutions that you, the First Ladies and to invite you to provided effective and efficient services to share your insights with us. We shall again the citizens of the region. begin with Mama Miria Obote. I take this

Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates humble opportunity to invite Mama Miria and we lived in Kenya for some time as well Obote to address this august Assembly. as Uganda. Mama, you are welcome. With the advent of exile in 1971 to 1980, ADDRESS BY FORMER FIRST LADIES we lived in Tanzania and during our second exile 1985-2005 we lived in both Kenya The Former First Lady of Uganda (Ms and Zambia. Our children lived in both Miria Obote): The Right honourable Kenya and Zambia. Our children also Speaker, honourable members of the studied in Tanzania, in Kenya and Uganda Assembly, all our distinguished visitors, all thus, our association with both the old and protocol observed, the new East African Community.

We are delighted, humbled, and honoured I need to inform you that my late husband, to stand before this august East African Dr Milton Obote, had his view of the Legislative Assembly representing our African Union. Before we got marries very founding fathers of the East African many years ago, he asked me where I Community. wanted to go for the honeymoon. I told him that you are a new leader of a new nation. These are our comrades - Dr Julius Why have you not been to other African Kambarage Nyerere, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta countries? I heard another story of a friend and Apollo Milton Obote. from Ghana that I met in America. He visited East Africa and went to Uganda so As far as the Obotes are concerned, we are when he came back, I was excited because true East Africans because of the long I wanted to know how he liked my country. experience of living, studying and working He said, “Uganda is not an African in East Africa. country”. I asked, why and he said, “It is too clean”. Dr Obote lived and worked in Kenya in the 1950s when the Mau Mau struggle was Before I got married, after telling my taking place and had the golden opportunity husband that he should visit other areas of of meeting the legendary freedom fighter Africa, I said please, could we go to West Dedan Kimathi. Africa? Let me see the West Africa that we hear about. That is how we agreed to go for When political activities were banned in our honeymoon in Ghana with Nkrumah. Kenya, the focus shifted to social clubs and We also went to Nigeria with the late Dr Obote went on to head the Kaloleni Tafawa Balewa and we ended up in social club. Later, the ban on political Ethiopia with the late Haile Selassie. That parties was lifted and Dr Obote, together was our first introduction to the Western with other Kenyan nationalists went ahead part of Africa. to found the Kenya African Union. We then went to the North and touched Dr Obote was even elected chairperson of Ethiopia. From there we moved to the the new party and he led the successful African Union. campaigns for the late Tom Mboya’s entry into the LEGCO. I am equally a product of My husband embarked on a strong move to the East African spirit and Kenya. develop Uganda very quickly after independence. His achievements were so My late father, Blasio Kalule was an good that the President of Singapore, Lee employee of the Kenya-Uganda Railways Kuan Yew, after one of those Commonwealth Heads of State meetings

Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates had to fly to Uganda to learn and take the With the eventual colonisation of East and blue print of our development plans, which Central Africa, a new momentum towards he wanted to copy for Singapore. integration was ushered in. The Germans embarked on the construction of the Central In fact, Singapore copied our education railway of Tanganyika. The British started programme. Our first priority programme on the construction of Uganda Railway was to build one nation with one people. from Mombasa to Uganda. That is why I am a child of the railways because my father I would like to take this opportunity to worked there. thank in particular and appreciate the governments of Tanzania, Kenya and their The British South African Company also peoples as original members of the East moved ahead with the railway from South African Community who truly understood Africa to Northern Rhodesia, which is now the social, political challenges of Uganda. Zambia. They welcomed us, they sheltered, and they catered for our people as political refugees. By 1917, a Customs Union was formed This spirit of togetherness was extended to between Kenya and Uganda, which Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic Tanganyika joined later in 1927. The then of Congo and now the new South Sudan. East African High Commission operated from 1948 to 1961 and subsequently, it was Not only for receiving and hosting refugees upgraded into the East African Common but also for walking the extra mile and Services Organisation from 1961 to 1967, facilitating peace talks, for example, the which finally gave birth to the East African Moshi conference of Ugandan exiles in Community in 1967. March 1979, the Okello NRM peace talks in Nairobi in 1985, Rwanda peace talks in Early in the 1950s, a British official talked Arusha, Burundi peace talks in Dar es of the formation of an East African Salaam and Nairobi. Thank you, our Federation similar to the Central African brothers and sisters of Kenya and Tanzania. Federation. Unfortunately, the Buganda Kingdom overreacted at such a proposal I have also mentioned that South Sudan and demanded the assurances that it would also had peace talks in Naivasha and never be brought up again. The main issue Nairobi. of the Buganda kingdom’s concern was the possibility of the secular politics of Kenya We thank you for your good taking root as the white supremacist neighbourliness. As the saying goes, a policies had in South Africa and Sothern friend in need is a friend indeed. Asanteni Rhodesia. sana. Mungu awabariki. As the independence struggle advanced, Historically, the need for integration in East Tanganyika, under Comrade Julius Nyerere and Central Africa has been there. The area delayed their Uhuru to enable Kenya and that was rapidly exploited was long Uganda to come on board resulting in distance trade as it used to be called. The Tanganyika gaining independence in 1961 Sudanese visited East Africa for trade. The and the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, Nyamwezi of Tanzania connected the now Tanzania in 1964, Uganda in 1962 and interior with the coast. The Kamba of Kenya in 1963. Kenya used to link up with Banyoro and Baganda traders. All this was mainly in the The founding fathers that we are honouring pre-colonial times. today accelerated the level of talks towards the East African Community that

Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates eventually was born in September 1967. was later fully re-born on 30 November Working on their common historical 1999. heritage, the sphere of East African integration extended to cover a wider range Dr Obote reflected on the experience that, of areas. Arusha was the headquarters of the “The demise of East African Community East African Community and that is why will no doubt go down in our history as a we are here today. I remember with great tragedy. As soon as the situation has nostalgia the East African Airways been stabilised and once normalcy returns headquartered in Nairobi, East African to Uganda, I shall even as a private citizen, railways and harbours were headquartered take the initiative in approaching our two in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and the East former partners in the East African African Posts and Telecommunications in Community and the government of Uganda Kampala, Uganda. to meet in the cause of re-establishing the old relationship.” This was in his speech at Other areas that brought a sense of oneness Kololo airstrip in Uganda on 7 June 1980. were the East African Examination Board and the East African Court of Appeal, the Today, we meet for a re-energised and fully East African Flying School in Soroti, the functioning East African Community. It is East African Library Board, the East and an absolute necessity with the growing Central African Challenge Cup in football, challenges of the times. For example, among others. security matters are high on the agenda with global terrorism a major concern. The advent of Idi Amin’s coup in 1971 destroyed the spirit of the East African There is also the issue of economic Community and led to its eventual collapse investment for projects like oil refineries, in 1977. It has to be recalled that by 1971, oil pipelines, the standard gauge railway, Zambia was seriously considering joining agricultural research, food security and the East African Community. By then, the climate change etc. giant steps of the East African Community in the development of the region as Mr Speaker, we are very grateful for the explained by the late Dr Apollo Obote thus, East African Community and the East “This leads me to another endeavour in the African Legislative Assembly for field of economic cooperation. East Africa, recognising the contribution of our that is in partnership with the East African founding fathers: Comrade Mwalimu Julius Community, have succeeded to negotiate Kambarage Nyerere, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta with the European Economic Community, and Dr Milton Obote and we are also an agreement whereby the three East thankful to the Almighty God for having African states have been accorded associate kept us alive as former First Ladies of the status in the European economic independent East Africa. You see Mama Community sometimes called the common Ngina here; she is still a young lady, still market. This is from the communication beautiful, still walking. You know, it is very from the Chair of the National Assembly by important for us to see that we are still on Dr Obote, the President of the Republic of our feet; we have not come here in wheel Uganda on the occasion of the ceremonial chairs. Isn’t that something? We thank God opening of Parliament on the 20 April for that. 1970.” With regard to what the East African The early 1980s combined the issue of Community must achieve or my cherished compensation and reopening talks for a aspirations, we have to encourage all revival of the East African Community that

Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates measures that will improve on our You cannot believe that we did not know communications and transport networks - the difference between kupiga and kupika. (Applause). We would say kwenda piga chakula. We did not know that there was kupika but we We also need to improve on our are learning. My grandson is already telecommunication network and transport. learning Swahili in school. I think the It should be easy to send or receive mobile language alone is going to bring us money from East African Community together. Do not laugh at us, we are hidden countries to another without any problem - right inside the heart of Africa so by the (Applause). This will have a huge impact on time the Swahili leaves Mombasa or Dar es economic growth. Salaam, it is diluted and mixed up with other languages and it is not the Swahili Suppose I want to have some korosho from bora that I know but we are getting there - Tanzania, I can use my mobile phone and (Applause). say, Mama Maria, please send me a debbe of korosho. If I want something from We are tasking the new East African Kenya, I can just pick up my phone and say, Community to work extra hard to create Ndugu, please send me something quickly more employment opportunities, especially without going through Western Union to for the youths in the region - (Applause). send money in the bank and what not - (Applause). This can be achieved through joint or common East African Community Today, some Europeans have developed a investments such as the on-going projects system where money can be sent and between Uganda and Tanzania for the received from abroad to East Africa. I have proposed pipeline; Uganda, Rwanda, received some money from the UK through Tanzania and Kenya for the standard gauge my Airtel telephone just like that. Why railway; Kenya, Ethiopia and the new don’t we do it among ourselves in East South Sudan for the Lamu port. Africa? Can’t we develop our own system so that we do not have to go through all the The clear call should be an intensification trouble of sending money from one state to of efforts across various fields to make our another? We are brothers and sisters - region more integrated. (Applause). We also need to encourage not only We need to move much faster to have an domestic tourism but also inter state integrated syllabus and curricular. This tourism in order to help our people to get to would stabilise the labour market within the know each other and learn how they live in East African Community as it was in the other East African countries. We go into a days of the East African Examination lot of trouble to attract tourists from Board. America and abroad to come and visit us. Why don’t we start with our own? Charity For example, Ugandans have never learnt begins at home. Encourage Ugandans to to speak proper` Swahili; Swahili bora. We visit Kenya and Tanzania, let Kenyans also speak or Swahili, which is watered down, go and see how Ugandans live. Let them we do not have that language of telling come and eat a bit of matooke. For people, ebu mujomba, ebu tafadhali, ebu goodness’ sake, we are all East Africans. njoo. We learnt the army or security This is what I want to stress; let us promote Swahili of kuja, kwenda. We do not know inter state tourism - (Applause) - before we how to say, ebu njoo, ebu fanya nini - go to look for wataali from abroad. (Applause).

Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates

Finally, I would like to end with a historic kufanya kazi pamoja wakiwa Afrika message in form of advice. Although it is Mashariki. (Applause) normal to think and talk of one’s own country because of the greater knowledge Nahapa huu mkutano, ati herisirasi one has of that country, it is far nobler to yandugu yako. (Applause) transcend this temptation for purposes of achieving the aims and objectives of our Furaha yangu nikuona wakati mbegu ya efforts in building the Community. namba hio walikuwa wanazungumza kuwa wakifanya kazi pamoja. Na kwasababu Mr Speaker, honourable members, we are sasa kwa hio mazungumzo waliofanya now very old; we do not have to hide our ndilo sababu mukawa hapa kama vile age. When we were young, we used to say, mnafanya kazi pamoja. Furaha yangu ni I was of age a couple of years ago. Now we hiyo. (Applause) Furaha yangu ni nyingi are old enough to say how old we are - kwasabu iyo ni tayari mmetumia. Ile (Applause). nilitaka kuniuliza ile plan au maono walikuwa nayo. Mwendelee kuwa na huo Mr Speaker, I am going to be 80 years on umoja na kufanya kazi pamoja mkiwa 18 July this year - (Applause). I was sharing ndugu na dada. (Applause)- ndio muone with that birthday with the late Madiba hizi nchi zetu tatu zinaelendelea kuyatimiza Mandela. Therefore, Mr Speaker, this is an kila jambo zote, nilikuwa nataka hawa advanced birthday present. What more do I President watimize waono hio mwendelee want? Even if I do not celebrate it, this is kufanya kazi pamoja. (Applause) my birthday. Thank you. Asanteni sana. Mungu awabariki wote. Shukuran - Lile lingine nilitaka kusema, nikurudisha (Applause). shkurani nyingi nyingi. Kwa vile muliona, ni vizuri kutupatia hii honour tukiwa The Speaker: Thank you so much, Mama mabibi wa hawa President wa kwanza; Miria Obote for the insights. You took us President Nyerere, President Kenyatta and up, we became emotional, our faces became President Obote. (Applause) wet but we thank you for giving us the Mukaona ni muhimu mutupatie hii honour. message. Nataka kushukuru mungu kwa sababu sisi wa tatu tuko hai. (Applause) I now would like to take the opportunity, the singular honour to invite Mama Ngina Tumeona hiyo heshima mmetupatia. to come and address the Assembly. She will (Applause) say a few words. Tukitoka hapa tuende mahali walipoenda, The Former First Lady of Kenya (Mrs tutakwenda kuwaambia ya kuwa Ngina Kenyatta): Mr Speaker wa Bunge munatimiza yale mlikuwa mnataka ya Afrika Mashariki, Wajumbe wa nchi zetu watimize. (Applause) tatu ya Afrika Mashariki, ningetaka ku sema jioni hii ni ya kuwa niko na furaha isio Kwa hivyo, speech yangu itaendelea nilikua na kifani - (Applause). nataka tu kuwaambia kwa mdomo yangu ati mimi niko na furaha sana nilikuwa hapa Furaha niko nayo ni nyingi sana. Nikiwa mbele yenu kuona vile mnatupatia heshima hapa mbele yenu. (Applause)- Kwasababu kubwa - (Applause). wakati ule wa kwanza kabisa nilipozungumza maneno ya Afrika Kwa hivyo my daughter ata continue my Mashariki, nilikuja hapa wakati hawa rais speech na ngeniwaomba mwendeleye watatu walikuwa wanajadiliana kuhusu tukuwe watu na nguvu kwa sababu kuna

Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates musemo unasemwaga “ukipenda kazi na God permitting, she will also come and kidole moja haiwezi kuua chawa” kwa have this conversation with us. hivyo tushikane pamoja ndiyo tuwe na nguvu nyingi tukisema kitu tunasikilizwa Before I go to introduce the various mahali popote tunasema. (Applause) delegations that are in this Chamber this afternoon, honourable colleagues allow me Kwa hivyo asanteni sana. Mukuwe pamoja. to request all of us to rise to give one Thank you very much Mr Speaker - moment of silence to give respect to the (Applause). founding fathers of this Community. May we rise. The Speaker: Honourable members, I now invite the daughter of Her Excellency (The members stood in their places and Mamma Ngina to continue with her speech observed a moment of silence.) and conclude it. The Speaker: Your Excellences, Ms Kristina Pratt: Thank you Mr honourable colleagues, before I introduce Speaker. Your Excellency, Mama Ngina the various delegations, I would like to join Kenyatta, Your Excellency, Mama Miria you to assure our special guests this Obote, Members of the East African afternoon that this Assembly deeply Legislative Assembly. I was going to stand recognises the role played by women in here and read this speech on behalf of development of Africa. (Applause) Mama but having listened to the two ladies, they speak from their hearts - (Applause). This is the basis of our respect to you on behalf of the women of East Africa. I am They were the ones who were there when it sure His Excellency Jomo Kenyatta, His all begun. Therefore, anything that I may Excellency Mwalimu Nyerere and His read from this official speech will only Excellency Dr Milton Obote are turning dilute what the two ladies have said - with happiness in their graves. (Applause). Allow me now to introduce the delegation Therefore, with a great deal of respect, Mr led by Her Excellency Mama Ngina Speaker, I would like to say ile wa Mama Kenyatta. I request that you rise when I wote wa wili ile wa mesema ni mambo ya mention your name. I will start with Mrs muhimu, ni mambo yiko na utamu wingi Jane Mumbi Kiano, Joan Njoki Ndugi, Mrs nayi natocha. Kwahivyo mungu awabiriki Wambui Christina Pratt, Mrs Elina Pratt, na abariki ki nyumba na kazi ya mikono Mrs Serina Pratt, Mr Paul Gathega Mhoho, yenu. Asanteni sana. God bless you - Wanjiru Kimani, Ezekiel Nganga Kolia, (Applause). and Mrs Margret Jambi Magugu. Ms Anna Saida Pratt. If there is anybody that is not The Speaker: Thank you so much. captured in this list and is part of the Excellences, the founding First Ladies of delegation, may you please submit the the East African Community. name to Clerk so that I recognise you? (Applause) At this juncture, honourable colleagues, allow me to convey the apology of Her May you also allow me recognise the Excellency, Mama Maria Nyerere. She is delegation led by Her Excellency Mama indisposed and on a sad note, she just lost Miria Obote. I start with Hon. James her sister a few weeks ago. I invite you to Akena. He is a Member of Parliament in put her in the hands of God for strength and Uganda National Parliament and a son to

Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates the late Dr Milton Obote. Ms. Dianah beg your pardon members from the Karugaba accompanied them - (Applause). Republic of Kenya. The Staff of the EAC, who are here inclusive of the staff of At this juncture, I should have moved to EALA, may you all rise up together for introduce the delegation led by Her recognition. Excellency, Mama Nyerere but on a special note, I would like to introduce one of our I will endeavour to introduce the Kiambu own, Hon Charles Makongoro Nyerere. He County Executive for Education, Madam is the son of Mwalimu Nyerere. Esther Ndirangu. I would also like to take a special occasion to introduce the mayor of There are other delegations from the Arusha who is with us here. Please rise up Parliament of Kenya that have for recognition. If there are delegations who accompanied Her Excellency Mama Ngina I have not introduced who have graced this Kenyatta and they include the following: important occasion, I will find time to make Hon. Florence Kajuju, Hon. Wanjiku sure I do so immediately I am notified by Matia, Hon. Sarah Korahe, Madam Alice the office of the Clerk. Tuwo, staff of the National Parliament. If there could be other members that may not Excellences, we as an Assembly are more have been put on the list, please somebody than honoured to have benefited from the help me to approach the Clerk’s desk so that wisdom that you have expressed this I can recognise them as well. There is a afternoon. We are privileged, as the Third team of delegation from Central Kenya who Assembly, to have had this occasion. I do I am not sure whether they are here yet but not have many words to express our immediately I am notified that they are appreciation as a parliament but rather to here, I will announce their presence. request one of our colleague to come and express our appreciation on our behalf. I I would like to introduce the delegation invite hon Nusura Tiperu to do it on our from the United Republic of Tanzania and behalf - (Applause) the Members of Parliament from the National Parliament who are here in VOTE OF THANKS solidarity with the Assembly and Her Excellencies, the First Ladies they are; Ms Nusura Tiperu (Uganda): Thank you Hon. Kaki Kaptibu Kaye, Hon. Cecilia Mheshimiwa Speaker. On behalf of my Paresoni, Hon. Kiswaga Besteli, Mr Daniel colleagues seated here, I wish to take this Okotya Erifo. Thank you so much. opportunity to thank the first ladies who we are honoured to have amidst us - Honourable Members, allow me to take this (Applause). opportunity to introduce the Council of Ministers that serve us as an Assembly. Mheshimiwa Speaker today is a historic They are unique and special guests. day. Parliament is a different mood. The Members of the Council of Ministers please ambiance is very different. The praises of rise for recognition. The secretary General our mothers in the House yet has given us of the Community, the Counsel to the another historic moment. I have no proper Community. Allow me introduce the words to describe how excited my Members Chapter by Chapter. Members colleagues and I are. Just allow me to tell from Burundi. Members from Rwanda, our mothers that today this House feels Members from Uganda; Members from privileged to host legends of the region - Tanzania; allow me to introduce the staff (Applause). that made this Assembly…oh sorry, Members from the Republic of Kenya. I

Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates

I am glad that the House is filled to Congratulations Mr Speaker. You have set capacity, and the gallery is filled. It is the precedence that can never be challenged. first time I am seeing the mayor of Arusha. These are indications that good things are Mr Speaker, Sir, this House is very proud about to happen to the region. For we have because the First Ladies we are hosting touched base with our history and so we today are first ladies with a difference that now know where we are heading Mr stood firm but supported their husbands to Speaker, Sir. lead this region towards the independence. (Applause) Mr Speaker, Sir, today we honour Mama

Maria Nyerere - (Applause). They are first ladies at a time when life was We honour Mama Ngina Kenyatta and difficult. At a time when our founding Mama Miria Obote. We thank God that fathers were in and out of prison but the they are all still alive - (Applause). ladies seated here stood firm. (Applause- Today, we set history as a parliament of supported our presidents to lead the East Africa to be the first parliament with in countries to independence and towards the region to have hosted the First Ladies of poverty eradication and they are still firm the Founding Fathers - (Applause). today. We thank them for what they did. (Applause) Today we also go in history for having four children of the founding fathers having Rt. Hon. Speaker, I am sure Mama Maria stepped in this Parliament. (Applause) would have loved to be here, even though she is not we feel her presence. (Applause). We had our own President Uhuru Kenyatta We are always happy to be in her country, when he came here as the Chairperson of her contribution to the struggles of the Summit. We have own Hon. Charles Mwalimu Nyerere are known. The support Mokongoro in the House today - that she offered him in ensuring that Africa (Applause). is liberated, when you look at the liberation of Mozambique; the struggles in Burundi, Hon. Speaker, we have my former South Africa, Uganda my motherland. We colleague, whom I am so proud of to recall the contributions of Mama Miria and mention, Hon. James Akena, seated right at even if she is not here, this House is the back - (Applause). We also have the indebted to her and I hope the people First Daughter, Madam Christina Pratt who present here will express our gratitude is seated here. Four of the Children of the when they meet her. We pray that she Founding Fathers are here. That is the story recovers very soon - (Applause). Mheshimiwa Speaker - (Applause). Rt. Hon. Speaker, back home, every time Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to congratulate the President of Uganda, President Yoweri you for touching our hearts. For making our Kaguta Museveni, speaks, he will always mothers the fountain of honour for East mention how these Founding first Ladies Africa proud. When Mama Miria said today hosted East Africans in their respective is her Birthday, When Mama Ngina said homes - (Applause). Today, from their she’s excited you touched their hearts and presentations, we have been told clearly you did none other than using your that they indeed hosted our people without discretion to say that this time the House discrimination an indication that they were holds a special sitting where we will be hopeful for an integrated East Africa - recognising the contribution of the First (Applause). Ladies of the Founding Fathers.

Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates

Hon. Speaker, I want to thank Mama Miria Therefore, we look at her in a special way. for her presentation and this house is very When you look at the contribution of happy with the fact that she has reminded President Uhuru and how he has been able us of the contribution of the Late Milton to transform Kenya to what it is today, I Obote towards the integration. From her look at all those as her achievements - highlights, she gave us some of the projects (Applause) - an indication that she and the that were dear to her, like the East African Late Jomo Kenyatta had a dream. They Railways, the East African Posts and lived it and today his son continues to live Telecommunications, the Soroti Flying in their dream. School in Uganda, the Utali School and the East African Ports Authority, among Mr Speaker, today when we have Mama others. Ngina in amidst us, the East African Business Women are celebrating. We look Her presentation was rich and, indeed, we at her as a role model as far as women in shall borrow leaf from all the remarks that business are concerned - (Applause.) she made especially touching on the aspirations that she expressed today Mr Mr Speaker, her presence today is an Speaker. indication that parliament is going to look at the issue of women in business in East Mr Speaker, Sir, this House wishes to thank Africa as a very critical area henceforth. I Mama Miria yet again because we know have enjoyed most of the products from her that she has made struggles towards women companies and I am sure other East empowerment. Today we brag about a large Africans have had about the Brookside and number of women in Parliament but she many others. Asante sana Mama Ngina - knows during their days like in Uganda we (Applause). We want to thank Mama Ngina had only two women in parliament but now as parliament for her contribution towards the number in the parliaments of East education of a girl child through the Africa is remarkable - (Applause). We want donations that she has been giving to many to thank her for having led the women’s universities in Kenya and East Africa. We struggle and for continuing to do so. also thank her for her role as a girl guide and as a Patron of the Girl Guides. Mr Speaker, she has also nurtured many East Africans like Prof Anyang Nyong of Hon Speaker, there is a lot that we can say Kenya. When you speak to Prof, he always about the ladies seated here but we want to makes mention on Mama Miria, Raila thank them as women of East Africa in Odinga, former Prime minister of Kenya, general for uplifting the standards of our brother Ndugu Ruhakana Ruganda is women - (Applause). always making mention of her and of how she nurtured him. There are many East The role of the first ladies is not clearly Africans whose hearts she has touched and defined but the character of the lady gives she continues to touch Hon. Speaker. out her contribution in society. I want to affirm that this House is grateful for the Today, when we have Mama Ngina in this kind of character that is inbuilt in you House we feel different. We are looking at Mama Miria and in you Mama Ngina. a mother; a legend. The founding mother of (Applause)- Your characters finish all roles Kenya. We are looking at a mother of one the first ladies can do in Africa. Today we of our own, a member of the Summit, His have the East African Community and Excellency Uhuru Mwigai Kenyatta - looking towards having a United Africa, a (Applause). contribution that was started by none other than yourselves.

Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates

Mr Speaker, Sir, I wish to conclude by As the gifts arrive, may I invite my sister saying that this House is very humbled and the First Daughter to lay on the Table the we pray that you have journey mercies back speech of Mama Ngina to be part of the home. We want the First Ladies to know records of this House? (Applause) that we love them - (Applause). (Ms Christina Pratt laid Mama Ngina’s Mama Miria we love you. Mama Ngina we speech on the Table) love you - (Applause). We have no words to express how much we love you but we The Speaker: The gifts we are going to only want to thank the speaker yet again for receive for our gallant mothers are in two giving us this opportunity to express our categories. The first gift is the resolution of love towards our mothers. Indeed, you are the Assembly that gave birth to this meeting our mothers. Ahsanteni sana - (Applause). this afternoon - (Applause).

The second gift is your appreciate inscribed The Speaker: Thank you so much Hon. on a good material to them on the Nusura Tiperu for expressing our gratitude appreciation of their service to the to our gallant mothers. Community. We will start with Mama Miria Obote and then come to Mama Hon Members, Excellencies, I want to Ngina. We start with the inscription - recognise amidst us part of the delegation (Applause). that we were waiting for. They are Women (The Speaker presented gifts to Mama leaders from Central Kenya. May you Miria) please rise up as I read your names: Mrs Kilimeda Kadogo, First Lady Kiambu - (Applause) - County, Gladys chania, Kiambu County. Faith W Gitau, Ndarua County, Beth The Speaker: I will invite hon Makongoro Nguyu, Kirinyaga County. Rahab Wairimu, to receive on behalf of her Excellency Nyeri County, Mercy Kamau, Nairobi Maria Nyerere and then we move to the County, Esther Ndiragu EEC Kiambu next. County. I also want to note to hon. Colleagues that Esther Ndirangu is (The Speaker presented gifts to Charles representing the Governor of Kiambu this Makongoro) evening - (Applause). - (Applause) -

The Speaker: May I now take the I would also like to announce the presence opportunity to invite her Excellency Mama of other guests the Mountain Muwes, this is Ngina to come and receive her gift as well. a faith based Movement led by Canon Fred Olena who is in the gallery. May you all rise (The speaker presented gifts to Mama up for recognition. Ngina Kenyatta) I would like to recognise our good friends, - (Applause) - the students from Arusha Institute of Accountancy in the gallery. We will The Speaker: Excellencies, hon continue recognising our guests as they Colleagues, we are coming to the end of this arrive. Hon colleagues, we are proceeding sitting. We will have a photo session to to the next phase of our recognition of our document this for posterity and the Sargent- gallant mothers. We are going in a session at-Arms will guide us where we always of presentation of gifts. take our photographs. I am sure we have put

Thursday, 31 May 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates on our Sunday best for these historic pictures that we are going to have. I would also like to announce that tomorrow, Wednesday in the morning at 7:30 a.m. we shall be having a special fellowship and it is going to be dedicated to Her Excellencies. We are going to pray for them for their good health and long life. We shall be joined by Mountains Muwes led by Canon Fred Olena during this fellowship. Therefore, Members please turn up at 7:30 a.m. Finally, after the photo session we have invited you for a cocktail with our mothers where we will have a big opportunity to shake their hands and have close contact with the engagement. The staff will direct the process. I thank you so much Your Excellencies for gracing this day. I thank you so much hon. colleagues. I thank you so much our guests. House stands adjourned to tomorrow 2:30p.m. EAC ANTHEM (The House rose at 5:20 p.m. and adjourned until Wednesday, 1 June 2016 at 2.30 p.m.)