Originally Posted by National Assembly of Kenya
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
OFFICIAL REPORT
Wednesday, 5th November, 2008
[p. 19]
POINT OF ORDER
HOUSE SHOULD ADJOURN TO DISCUSS
ELECTION OF MR. BARRACK OBAMA
Ms. Odhiambo: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. It is not on this issue. I stand on a point of order under Standing Order No.20 to seek leave for adjournment of the House to discuss the American presidential election results.
(Applause)
Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the President-elect, Mr. Obama, is a son of the soil of this country. Every other country in this continent is celebrating the Obama win. It is only proper and fitting that the country which he originates should show the same excitement, pomp and colour. I, therefore, seek leave of the House that we adjourn to discuss the issue.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order! Order! Ms. Odhiambo, Standing Order No.20 says:-
"Any hon. Member may at any time rise in his place and seek leave to move the adjournment of the House for purposes of discussing a definite matter of urgent national importance."
This means national "Kenyan" importance. The election of Senator Barrack Obama---
An hon. Member: It is President Obama!
Mr. Deputy Speaker: President-elect has not been sworn-in yet. The election of President elect Obama is of utmost national importance to the United States of America. Ms. Odhiambo, you are a lawyer. You had better be very careful where you transgress between watching your own sovereignty and what can be interpreted in some quarters as some form of treason. We appreciate and respect him. We are happy and we were looking forward to his election. It is not a matter of urgent definite national importance to Kenya. In any case, whereas the ruling from the Chair would not have been any different, you are supposed to approach the Chair at least two hours in advance and give a notice of that information.
Nonetheless, let us hold our horses. Let the excitement not make us look like American citizens. We are citizens of the sovereign Republic of Kenya.
(Applause)
Hon. Members, I think we had better take note of that and internalise it. We should know where our utmost loyalty is.
The Assistant Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology (Mr. Kamama):
On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I just want to seek guidance from the Chair on this matter. Considering the fact that even His Excellency the President declared that tomorrow will be
[p. 20]
a national holiday to celebrate Obama's success, do you not think this is an urgent matter? So many man hours will be lost tomorrow because of this "Obama mania". I seek guidance on this matter.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, tell me what is so urgent that you really want to discuss? Do you want to discuss the speech of Obama? What do you want to discuss on this Floor? If it is the celebrations, His Excellency the President has made tomorrow a public holiday. The House is not open to any debate on the ruling of the Chair. Those are the rules under the Standing Orders of the Republic of Kenya. I do not know how it is in the American Congress but for the Republic of Kenya, the Chair has given a ruling on this and the matter is closed.
Mr. Affey: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. While I appreciate your ruling, I also wish to seek the indulgence of the Chair. Given the mood in the country, this morning, quite a number of us failed to ask our Questions because of the excitement in the country. For the first time, we have a leader of a great country in this world whose blood is Kenyan. For that matter, would I be in order to request you to allow me to ask my Question since I did not ask it in the morning.
Ms. Odhiambo: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order, Ms. Odhiambo! The Chair of the Kenya National Assembly is on its feet. So, order.
Mr. Affey, you approach the Chair and seek if you want a reinstatement of your Question in the formal manner, practice and traditions of this House. The Chair has got some communication to make. As far as the interest and happiness regarding the elections that have just been concluded in the United States of America are concerned, this will put that to rest.
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR
CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO
PRESIDENT-ELECT BARRACK OBAMA
Hon. Members, as you may be aware, the people of the United States of America have just had a historic election where the son of this soil, Barrack Hussein Obama, has been elected the 44th President of the United States of America and the first African-American President in the history of that country, please join me in registering and sending this House's congratulations to the President-elect Obama for overcoming great odds to emerge victorious.
Indeed, this is a testimony of the democratic practice in the United States of America that we, in Kenya, can also emulate. I also wish to congratulate his opponent, Senator John McCain, for conducting a dignified campaign and statesmanship in his conceding speech. It is our hope that with this change, the USA and the world will be placed on a different trajectory and this will strengthen international co-operation and forge closer partnership between the USA and other nations in the continent, particularly Kenya.
I also wish to bring to your attention that the President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency President Mwai Kibaki, has declared tomorrow Thursday 6th November, 2008, a public holiday in honour of the election of Senator Barrack Hussein Obama. Please, join me in thanking his Excellency President Kibaki for this early gesture and correctly reading the mood of not only the country but the whole world. On my behalf and that of this House, I would like to congratulate and give best wishes to Senator Barrack Hussein Obama.
(Applause)
The Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs (Mr. Musyoka): Mr. Deputy
[p. 21]
Speaker, Sir, while thanking you for that Communication from the Chair, I want to join the rest of the world and, indeed, all of us - and it is understandable that the rest of African Continent and the whole world is celebrating a dawn of a new era--- As we congratulate the American people and more, specifically, Senator Barrack Obama who is now President-elect, it is important to reflect on the journey that he has travelled so far. When countries get their foreign policy right, a lot of hope can ensue. What I have in mind is the famous Kennedy airlifts of the 1960s when many Kenyans were, due the friendship with the then Government and the late Tom Joseph Mboya, given the opportunity to travel to the United States of America as a result of which we now have an African American of Kenyan origin being President-elect. This is momentous. At 4.00 o'clock this morning, Senator John McCain graciously conceded defeat. I was among the first Kenyans - as I know many Kenyans did not sleep but were following the outcome of those elections - to congratulate the President-elect. While doing so, I also observed that the world will now be a safer place under the Presidency of Senator Barrack Obama. The world will not continue to observe American unilateralism. Some of us held the view that the war in Iraq was a mistake because the United Nations Security Council did not give its approval. The rest of us in Africa stood in solidarity and said that it was important to have a UN Security Council whose responsibility is to ensure world peace and security. Be that as it may---
Mr. Ethuro: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.
The Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs (Mr. Musyoka): Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am just responding to your Communication from the Chair. I am sure that my good friend, Mr. Ethuro, can bear---
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Proceed!
The Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs (Mr. Musyoka): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I am just about to conclude. The point I am making is very important. There are many of us who hold the view that there is now a real possibility of a more peaceful world where multi-lateralism, as opposed to unilateralism, will guide the conduct of international relations under President Barrack Obama. We congratulate Senator John McCain for being graceful and I think we are rightfully in a party mood. We are not the only country in the world. There are parties in Paris, London and even in a place called Obama in Japan. I think we have a right to celebrate. As we do, as you said from the Chair, this is a sovereign country. We know we can learn a lot. To be able to support that blood relation, I think we owe it to ourselves to make sure that we have a peaceful country as Kenyans; a country that will uphold the true principles of the rule of law, democracy and tolerance between ourselves.
At the beginning of this year, Senator Barrack Obama called me at midnight and told me: "Mr. Vice President, could you make sure you sort out this problem?" I want to assure him that the problem has since been sorted out.
[p. 28]
The Assistant Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology (Dr. Mwiria):
[p.29]
Until we begin to respect merit as the basis for our identifying future leaders, it is going to be very impossible. It does not matter what kind of structures we have in place for an Obama to come out of the Kenyan environment.