Kenyan-Born Australian Senator Lucy Gichuhi Wins Hearts with Speech about Citizenship and Racism [VIDEO]
Kenyan-born Australian Senator Lucy Gichuhi captured the hearts of a section of Australians on social media following her stunning speech at the Senate.
Gichuhi passionately addressed the controversial issue of racism and immigration. The liberal Senator wondered why questions about her citizenship and race continued to crop up even when she was legally elected to office and when the country's systems supported cultural pluralism.
She said her Kenyan roots, even if supposedly "third-world" prepared her to serve in the Australian Senate.
"At what point are we going to say you are Australian? Full stop. Period. Finished...I happen to be Briton, I happen to be Kenyan, I happen to be Australian, that's my history," Gichuhi asserted.
Ms Gichuhi challenged her colleagues to drop extreme partisan stands and examine their own prejudices. She added that leaders should instead address serious issues on diversity.
"I don't have to be asked where I came from, I know," she stated.
"At what point are we going to say you are Australian? Full stop. Period. Finished."
— Alice Workman (@workmanalice) August 15, 2018
If you only watch one speech about racism in Australia today, watch this from Liberal @senatorlucy (who was born in Kenya). pic.twitter.com/rO23lbBbJm
Australians took to social media to express their support for Ms Gichuhi while admitting the country is still struggling with racial discrimination.
"It was one heck of a powerful and impressive speech. Sure had me sitting up straight and listening...and thinking!!!" wrote one Dorian H.
"Good stuff Lucy I'm sick of the term 'Australian' being used in an exclusionary pejorative way by too many nowadays," stated another user by the name The cattery.
"If you only watch one speech about racism in Australia today, watch this from Liberal @senatorlucy," wrote Alice Workman.
Kenyans online too hailed the Senator for her powerful speech. Zacharia Mbuga said: "Hey..she reminds me of Prof. Wangare Maathai....Kudos Senator Lucy Gichuhi."
Kenyan Les Les noted: " Tell them,one of our own has made it to the presidency of the most powerful country in the world (USA/OBAMA )just in case they don't know although out of ignorance .Let them shut up.Australia belongs to the Aborigines. The other lot are immigrants as Trump would call them."
Evaristus Kalolelo stated: " Racism is not there per se, but it is a clique of very powerfull people who tend to use it for selfish gains."
Henry Charles said: "Great words full of wisdom senetor.keep up."
Manson Omollo noted: "Tell them. Kenyans have proved they can. Thumbs up sister."
Video; https://twitter.com/workmanalice/status/1029524815336493056