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{
    "id": 1186613,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1186613/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 419,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Samburu CWR, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Pauline Lenguris",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion that is on the Floor. We all understand that land is a very sensitive issue in Kenya that is supposed to be handled with a lot of care and caution. We have seen in this country so many cases and disputes that are related to land use and fragmentation in Kenya. I heard my colleagues saying that there is idle land in Kenya. I believe there is no idle land. Land is either owned by an individual or by communities. Where I come from, land is owned communally. So, in my place, there is no land that is idle or that does not belong to anyone. Most of the land in the place I represent is not put in use not because people do not want to, but because of the harsh climatic conditions. People will find a lot of bare land that is not being used, but sometimes we use the land for grazing our animals. At my place, livestock is the main source of livelihood. We have also converted most of our land into conservancies which belong to communities. It is also one way of attracting tourists. Tourists come all the way to see wild animals. It is also a source of income to this country and the counties we represent. I stand here to oppose the Motion because I do not believe there is any idle land in the country. If the Government wants to put land that is not in use into practice, they can consult the owners and then support them by facilitating them to put the land into use and enable them with the technology that can assist them. For example, the Government could assist people in getting water for irrigation by drilling boreholes and making dams. That may put that land into agricultural use. Right now, because of the harsh climate, we are not able to use most of our land and it is unacceptable to give it to other people. The Constitution of Kenya has also given Kenyans the right to own property and land. The Government can lease the land if there is any land that is not put to use in most of the areas. For example, there are historical injustices of land in Laikipia, which is owned by very few individuals. For many years, we have brought petitions to authorities demanding back the land, but there is no response from the authorities. 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."
}