I CAN write pages and pages on Pio Gama Pinto, having been with him for so many years, but I am only going to confine myself to a brief account on his Parliamentary activities.

Mr. Pinto had many friends among the present Members of Parliament, friendships which began years ago. He was appointed by them to act as their Secretary during the last General Elections' Campaign. One of his main jobs was to draft campaign slogans and print them. Pio even took it upon himself to display them all over Nairobi. Most often he stuck the posters at the dead of night. One of the most interesting of these posters was the "CONGO" poster. He printed posters and pamphlets for KANU candidates all over the country. This is why even before he became a Member of Parliament, the KANU Parliamentary Group nominated him and finally elected him as a non-African Member to the Central Legislative Assembly. He was picked out of several African candidates. The Parliamentary Group did this in recognition of his good work for the country during and after the struggle for UHURU. When a vacancy occurred for a Specially Elected Seat in Parliament, a group of KANU Parliamentarians asked Mr. Pinto to apply. He did that, but the competition was very stiff. We were elated when he won the seat.

Apart from the KANU Parliamentary Group, the Members of Parliament had decided to form a Back-Benchers' Group - which at present is no longer in existence. He was an active Member of this and later he was elected its Publicity Secretary. As an experienced journalist and a short-hand typist, Mr. Pinto used to take accurate minutes of our Group Meetings. I remember the occasion when we had a joint Conference of the KANU-TANU Parliamentary Group on the East African Federation which lasted two days, Mr. Pinto took minutes and had them circulated before each session. He even had the Press Statements from the Conference quickly circulated.

The Back-Benchers' Group used to be very active. It met regularly and Mr. Pinto was never absent and he always took notes of the Meetings to keep everyone in formed on the up-to-date activities of the Back-Benchers.

Members of Parliament rejoice at Pinto being elected to Parliament

I remember the occasion when a group of French Members of Parliament visited Kenya. Here again Mr. Pinto organised us to meet and exchange parliamentary views. Once more every Member received the minutes of the French/ Kenya Members of Parliament Group Meeting.

One of the things which interested Mr. Pinto most was the re-organisation of the former Back-Benchers' Group. He wanted to have three main Committees within the Group: (1) A Foreign Affaii,s Committee: (2) An Economics Committee; and (3) A General Purposes Committee. He kept reminding me on the formation of these Committees until the Back-Benchers' Group was disbanded.

His idea was that through these Committees BackBenchers would contribute much which could help Ministers in their Ministries. He had an idea that instead of the Ministerial Committees which are presided by either. the Minister or his Assistant, these Committees should be presided a Back-Bencher. The appropriate Minister could attend --when invited. This, according to Mr. Pinto's opinion could make backbenchers feel that they were a part and parcel of the Government and that they also participated in nation-building.

I am sure that those in Parliament who knew him will agree with me that the late Mr. Pinto was one of the most active Members of Parliament. His assassination has deprived this country of a noble, generous and unselfish worker who never flinched at doing his duty.