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{
    "id": 1111602,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1111602/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 319,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": "Kenyans have not travelled to places like Garissa, Wajir and Marsabit. Those are countries within the country because of the size of landmass there. If you go to Baringo, there are two Baringos. There is the Baringo of Tiaty Constituency and there is the rest of the Baringo County. Tiaty Constituency is the size of Elgeyo-Marakwet and a half. Part of the problem that is in Laikipia at the moment is a boundary issue. The Pokots in Tiaty Constituency believe that the boundary must extend to a certain place and they must have grazing rights, even in areas where we have farmers. We have people who are farmers and the pastoralists want to graze to a certain point. The same applies to the other side of Marakwet and Baringo, the Tugen areas and the area where the Pokot are living. Inside the issue of Laikipia, the violence that is taking place, the cattle rustling, it is not just an issue of stealing livestock; there is also the land issue. It has even been worsened by the discovery of geothermal energy along areas in Baringo, where there is exploration of geothermal energy. There is a lot of it in Tiaty Constituency. In all these places that have large land areas, even though we have land indications attached to this Bill, there are still reasons there is fighting. This Bill creates that very important framework for us to be able to settle disputes amicably. You need to ask yourself what are the factors that are causing these disputes. Why is it that at the moment there is calm between Elgeyo-Marakwet and West Pokot; between Elgeyo-Marakwet and Uasin Gishu; and, between Elgeyo-Marakwet and Trans Nzoia? It is okay now because there is no incentive. Wait until tomorrow when they say that gold or oil has been discovered in a particular area and we pass a law in this Senate that says 15 per cent of the resources that come from these minerals will go to the county government and will benefit the people of that county. That is where Armageddon begins. We need to prepare ourselves for that eventuality. A boundary fight in some areas may not mean anything. For example, it is one community, which is living on the boundary of Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo-Marakwet. The Keiyo live on both sides of the boundaries, so it may not be a big deal. If you are moving from the Keiyo side to go to Ainabkoi it may not be a big issue. If you are moving from Keiyo North to go to Moiben Constituency, you will find the same families and the same properties. There is no issue. However, wait until you move from Elgeyo-Marakwet to go to West Pokot or move from West Pokot to go to the Turkana side. It leads to a situation where a boundary fight is no longer a fight about counties; it is communities. If you go to Kitui and Garissa, even though they have fights over grazing rights, a lot of it is between two communities. It becomes nasty when two communities are involved. It is important for us to avert that situation now than to wait for the next 10 years and find ourselves in a place where there is conflict along many boundaries. We need not forget that when this country had serious challenges in the north, in the same Marsabit County. It was so bad between Tiaty Constituency in Baringo and Turkana. His Excellency the President appointed leaders, among them Senators from this House to go and resolve disputes among communities and dealing with the issues of boundaries."
}