Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1197658,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1197658/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 200,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Lemaletian",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Sporadic bandits’ attacks in several parts of Samburu County have become the norm and the county residents are living in total fear of the attacks. In a span of just one week, a bandit has led to the loss of lives of five family members. Apart from the recent incident that happened in Loiborkare and Kurkur, more people have lost their lives and others are hospitalized. Further, the livestock has been driven down the hills of a commonly known bandit territory in Tiaty Constituency, Baringo County. The Government has remained unresponsive and as usual, it will issue a press statement on operations in the affected area. We are tired of these operations. The conflict has seen more than 4,500 households displaced across the entire county. These numbers keep rising as more raids are witnessed. I am calling upon the Government to act against politicians and other leaders who incite violence. Already, certain known names and identification numbers (IDs) have been submitted, but no action has been taken by the relevant security agencies. I also urge the security agencies to take a decisive action against the bandits and their supporters as to restore calm in the region. The mere rhetoric from the Government officials is not enough to reassure our locals. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the situation is bigger than banditry. It is robbery with violence and a global syndicate. Otherwise, how do you explain that people who are dying of hunger and living in abject poverty can afford to buy very powerful weapons? I am challenging my colleagues, on the Government side, to join us in speaking in one voice to condemn this matter. Our forefathers said “ignorance is a voluntary misfortune.” Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, a lie has many variations, while truth has none. The loss of lives coupled with the raging famine in Samburu County and other parts of the Northern Region have become a fully-blown disaster and we cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand. I remind the ruling coalition that a bird that flies off the earth and lands on an anthill is still on earth. The problems of the nation must bring us together by all means. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if indeed there are leaders who are blood thirsty, we want the Government to deal with them ruthlessly, as the President promised, regardless of their being in either part of the political divide. Someone out there is deliberately poking the nose of the administration and yet there is no response. A bandit is a criminal and an enemy of the State. The Government must ensure that citizens are well protected within their borders. The State must demonstrate its capacity to deal with internal criminals before they can tell us anything about the external criminals. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the previous disarmament exercises conducted by the Government have not been successful because they were uncoordinated in approach. We saw members of Samburu County surrendering their arms, but our Pokot counterparts were not disarmed."
}