Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1025277,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1025277/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 324,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I want to thank the Chair and his Committee for having done a splendid job. Dams play a pivotal role in this country in terms of water provision for both domestic and industrial use as well as provision of water for irrigation. That is in line with the Government’s Big Four Agenda on food security. What needs to be done is the maximisation of this scarce water resource. In Kirinyaga, we have a dam called Thiba which is being constructed in Gichugu Constituency. The effect and target benefit is the lower part of Kirinyaga which is well known for rice irrigation. When these projects are being constructed, we need a very good environmental impact and assessment report. When I went through the Report that was prepared for Thiba Dam, it indicated that the effects on the local community surrounding the dam was of negligible factor, to the persons who prepared it. However, we have seen that while the dam was being constructed, there were so many negative and adverse effects to the local community including some houses and schools around developing cracks because of the loud noises that come up while construction is being done. Anybody tasked with the mandate of preparing those reports should look into the matter. We are seeing a likelihood of conflict between the locals and contractors because their rights have to be taken care of. It is an issue about corporate social responsibility (CSR). According to the Constitution, which mandated the legislation of the Environment Management and Coordination Act under Article 71, the local community must also benefit. Therefore, it must be taken to account that across and around dams, the local communities, say, through the National Irrigation Board, which is the primary Government agency, should be considered. There must be projects that also benefit the local community. The natural resources must be utilised to their benefit. Another area that needs to be looked at is the easement of the bureaucracies when Government is doing projects and ensuring that the tax exemptions required are fast-tracked. Like in Thiba Dam, we took about six months following up on the list of exemptions on taxation, which has really delayed the construction of the dam. Therefore, the Government should not be an impediment to its own projects when it comes to tax exemptions and those bureaucratic procedures including Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVOCs) and those kinds of stuff. As I wind up, I would like to say that where corruption has been detected in construction of any projects- not only dams in this country- the Government through Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) should move with speed so that it can arrest situations that can cause loss of public funds through corruption and other means Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I do support the Report and thank you for the chance."
}