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{
    "id": 1199616,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1199616/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 406,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Ali Roba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move- That pursuant to Standing Order No.37, the Senate do adjourn to discuss a matter of national importance namely, the drought situation in the country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) are faced with a devastating drought situation. The drought has affected almost all counties except three in the 23 ASAL counties. A total of 11 out of these are in an alarming stage or phase of drought. The remaining nine are in a later stage of drought. Having been a Governor for the last 10 years, I would like to state that our county governments are ill-resourced and ill-prepared to deal with catastrophes of such magnitude as the devastating drought. Drought is a recurring phenomenon globally. It is a hidden global crisis that is worse than pandemics such as the COVID-19 and others that have happened. Unfortunately, this crisis has not been mainstreamed or considered for the magnitude of the devastation that it is causing across the globe. Countries such as China, which are far much developed than Kenya, have reported dams and rivers drying up. The bottoms of those dams and rivers have never been seen because of the water content. Most recently, it was reported that the streams feeding most dams and lakes such as Lake Naivasha, have dried up. The lakes are losing 0.5 metres of water literally every week. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, our country has never properly quantified the direct and indirect extensive impact of drought. Kenya’s ASAL regions makes up 89 per cent of the landmass of this country, and houses 38 per cent of the population of Kenya. These regions also house 90 per cent of wildlife that contributes 12 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The ASAL counties also host 70 per cent of the livestock wealth of this country. As such, it is estimated to be over 70 billion worth of livestock wealth. The ASAL counties have been hit the hardest, with the former President declaring drought a national disaster in September, 2021. Before that declaration, the counties in ASAL regions were dealing with droughts. On average, about four successive rainy seasons have failed. While counties that are not in ASAL regions may not feel the immediate impact, what is happening right now can easily make its way to other regions if it is not capped. Whereas ASAL counties have been prone to droughts over the years, in the last 20 years, the period between droughts have been on average reported between five to 10 years. However, in the last 10 years to be precise, that period has reduced to two to three years. Right now, out of 12 successive rainy seasons, we have had less than adequate or suppressed rains. The situation was made worse by the locust invasion, which severely impacted---"
}