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{
    "id": 1243718,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1243718/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 137,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Oburu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 194,
        "legal_name": "Oburu Ngona Odinga",
        "slug": "oburu-odinga"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for the opportunity to support this Motion. First, it is important that the presence of the Senate is felt. Kenyans should know what the Senate does and the Senate Mashinani is one of the ways we can come closer to the people in order for them to understand what we do. Turkana County is very important. I used to work in the Ministry of State for Planning, National Development and Vision, before I became a Member of Parliament (MP). In my position, I was in charge of a programme in Turkana County funded by the Norwegian Government. They were doing almost what the Government is supposed to do, which is provision of health care, water, agriculture, fisheries and so on. This county has been marginalised since colonial times. Those counties used to be classified as Northern Frontier Districts (NFD). People were not supposed to go out unless they were given permission by the District Commissioners. They were supposed to be preserved. I do not know for what purpose. They were to be treated strictly as not part of Kenya. After Independence, the marginalisation continued because the Government then adopted Sessional Paper No.10, which talked of investing in only productive areas. These were areas which were giving quick returns in terms of agricultural development. Areas like Turkana were completely ignored in terms of infrastructure and provision of many services. It was thought that the areas were not productive because the return per investment of the shilling was much higher than in the more productive areas. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it has now been discovered that these areas are very rich in resources. This is something that we will realise when we go there as the Senate. Turkana County has plenty of water. I understand there is an underground lake. They also have Lake Turkana which can be exploited."
}