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{
    "id": 1113237,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1113237/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 337,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tigania West, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. John Mutunga",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13495,
        "legal_name": "John Kanyuithia Mutunga",
        "slug": "john-kanyuithia-mutunga"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to add my voice to this serious debate. Many things have been said about the situation and how dire it is. I will concentrate on what we have done, and what we have not done. In a disaster situation, especially when the President has declared drought as a national disaster, we should already be moving at top speed to save the lives of the people and animals. In an ideal situation, disaster is normally prepared for; however, we have not been able to prepare for this disaster. For this drought we should have had supplies in their readiness for distribution. In its wisdom, the Cabinet dealt away with the strategic food reserve. So this food reserve was supposed to be food set aside to support or respond to such emergencies. We know that one of the reasons why we do not grow fast as a country is because our procurement procedures are complicated and they take a long time. That is one of the deterrents of achieving Vision 2030, and one of the problems that we have identified as a country, and we have done very little about it. Even if we say that we are going to distribute money through cash transfers, people have already migrated to where they can get some food. There are no supplies. So, even if they are given money, they may not be able to buy food. Doing away with strategic food reserves was a major mistake and we blame the Cabinet for that mistake. In a disaster situation, we normally mitigate. There are no mitigation measures. We are not prepared. All we can do now is to respond. We cannot seek a crisis response and we are in a crisis. People are dying, animals are dying. People get emaciated. Even if you respond and rescue lives, it will take a long time for the people to go back to normal operational standards. Why am I saying this? It is because people will need to build higher plans of nutrition to be able to get back to normal functions. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}