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{
    "id": 1176400,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1176400/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 231,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Tobiko",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I speak, it is no longer the threat of loss of livestock; it is a threat of loss of lives that we are facing in the ASALs counties. So far, the rains are not doing well. Hopefully, as we wait for the long rains in April, we do not see any livestock that will survive until then. We are urging the Government and the President to declare the drought a national disaster pursuant to Article 58 of the Constitution, due to a natural occurrence. This is so that resources are mobilised towards helping out these communities that are facing hunger. Article 43(1)(d) and Article 43(3) speaks about social security and the responsibility of Government to secure its constituents who are facing hunger. I have been commuting daily from Kajiado because of this drought. I spoke to Mzee Timoi from Kajiado who told me to read his statement verbatim. It says: “To address the recurrent and severity of droughts in pastoralists areas, it would require investment to widely, adequately and appropriately harvest and store rain water and wisely use it for the right purpose such as pasture and fodder production and livestock to step up food production. It would be wiser and more profitable as the situation stands, the future is dim, hunger poverty and conflict prevails.” This is what is happening in all the counties that are faced with drought right now. There is conflict because of the scarce resources, hunger and desperation. What I foresee happening, particularly in Kajiado County, which is the bedroom of Nairobi, there will be a lot of sale of land shortly after this. That is poverty coming in. These are communities that do not know any other way of livelihood apart from pastoralism. So, we should address this situation. Just like we had fertilizers subsidized, it would be good to see the Government taking initiatives to subsidize animal feeds at this moment. It is the hustlers who are suffering. They have sent us to tell the President that they are sleeping hungry right now. The President should possibly come up with a team across Ministries that will address this dire situation. As we prepare to adjourn today, we do not know the kind of Christmas holiday we shall be going for in these counties. The situation is desperate. I rise to support the Motion by our colleague, Sen. Lomenen. I agree with him that this situation should be addressed urgently. The peripheral counties matter to this country. Those are the ones securing the boarders of Kenya from all corners. The rest of the counties that are in the middle, have infrastructure and food production cannot be safe when the rest of the country is not. We are all safe when we can feed our families. The Constitution states that we should be able as a country to feed our people. We urge the Government and the Ministries concerned; the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation, Environment and Forestry, Water and Sanitation and the counties to address this situation as a very urgent and dire need. I thank you."
}