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{
    "id": 1198517,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1198517/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 154,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Abdul Haji",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I rise, pursuant to Standing Order 52 (1), to make a Statement on a matter of inter-county importance and general topical concern, namely, concerns over the plan by Safaricom PLC, to block SIM Cards that would not have been Re-registered by Saturday, 15th October, 2022. There are millions of Kenyans in need of humanitarian aid, especially in the Northern counties and other Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) areas of Kenya, where the populace is faced by the debilitating effects of severe drought. It is appreciated that many Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have stepped in to offer the much-needed support during this time. These humanitarian organizations reached at least 598,100 people in the ASAL region, with life-saving and life-sustaining assistance between October, 2021 and May 2022, including 534,000 in 2022 alone. This support, aimed at mitigating the effects of the drought, includes water trucking, provision of human and animal feeds to protect livelihoods, health services and, most importantly, cash transfers to thousands of beneficiaries across the more than 20 drought-stricken counties. Needless to say, these cash transfers run into billions of Kenya Shillings. I am not in contention of the fact that SIM cards must be registered to prevent crime, fraud and other such malpractices. I am also aware that the need to re-register the SIM cards is a compliance requirement in accordance with the Kenya Information and Communication Act. However, Safaricom needs to take cognizance of the special circumstances of most of the people in the ASAL areas. All these cash transfer beneficiaries, mostly pastoralists, receive this support through Mpesa. They live far from places where they can promptly update their registration details. Further, not only is the network hard to access in these areas, but it is also quite erratic. Madam Temporary Speaker, illiteracy is another confounding problem. It is my opinion that disconnecting these beneficiaries in the midst of humanitarian crisis brought about by the drought situation amounts to a violation of their rights. I, therefore, appeal to the Senate to prevail upon Safaricom and other telecommunication service providers to defer the deadline. They could also consider having mobile registration centres for pastoralists especially in the Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) areas, in order to ensure compliance."
}