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{
    "id": 1106719,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1106719/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 346,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13131,
        "legal_name": "Johnson Arthur Sakaja",
        "slug": "johnson-arthur-sakaja"
    },
    "content": "uncoordinated multiple agencies where the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we have the National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU), National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) and the Department of Special Programmes where it depends on who you know before you can get assistance to your people. Now all of those agencies are coming together to become the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) where we will have coordination. Today most Kenyans do not know who to call when there is a disaster. Those who they call do not know what to do in response. In a nutshell, that is what we are trying to do and to prevent early warning signals. For the recurring areas, how do you do mitigation and training? If there was a terrorist attack today, God forbid, in this city centre, even we, in the Senate, do not know what to do. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, those who have watched the 9/11 documentary when planes crush into the building, they can tell you what the US has been able to do in preparing the people and children in school for all manners of disasters; manmade disasters or natural calamities. We brought this Bill because we are tired of being called to respond to fires at 3.00 a.m. Personally, I said I really feel bad when I have to go to Gikomba market or Mathare because of illegal power connections where there is fire yet we know these can be prevented. We know that we need paths for the small buggies with water to go through. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we know we need to have fire stations and the fire hydrants that we used to have in this city and many parts of this country. This is one of the most important Bills that as we pass as the Senate, we will have changed practically the lives of Kenyans across the country on how county governments and national Government manage disasters. Secondly, this is the first Bill in the history of the Parliament of the Republic of Kenya from 1963 that has been sponsored by two Members of Parliament. It is the first jointly sponsored Bill and I am glad that I am part of it. I thank Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. for his vision, commitment, dedication and diligence. He brought us the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) people and a lot of expertise that helped us create a proper legislation. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, any one Senator can legislate properly. He could do it on his own and I could do it on my own. Just imagine what happens when two come together. It is even better. This preceded the Handshake. It was before there was a Handshake that we decided across the aisle that Members can work together. That by- partisan spirit is important for us to legislate and move forward as a country. I beg to reply and thank all of those who have spoken. Pursuant to the Standing Orders, I would wish to ask that the question be put at a later date. Thank you very much."
}