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{
"id": 1267921,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1267921/?format=api",
"text_counter": 136,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Oketch Gicheru",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "In the context of Kenya, when SDGs were constituted by the United Nations (UN), I think it was the first attempt that saw a close focus on the problems that we were facing. The Seconder of the Motion, Sen. Ogola, has actually highlighted some of the SDGs that we are talking about. The first one is no poverty, the second is zero hunger, the third is good health and well-being, and the fourth is quality education, among others. These issues are basic needs in Kenya. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if you remember, there is a time that basic needs were classified as simply housing, food and clothing. However, our country has moved, deliberately so, to include things like health and education as fundamental to conversations in this country. However, the Motion today is of course to an extent trying to assess what we have achieved with regard to the implementation of these SDGs. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to invite your attention to the idea that even though we want to advance the implementation of SDGs, we should not forget to add Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These MDGs were not attained. The worst thing is that when the time set for MDGs lapsed, there was no proper evaluation of the implementation and achievement of MDGs. This Motion is very good for us, as a nation, notwithstanding what other countries are doing. We do not want to get to 2030 and then be in a situation where this was a time- bombed ideology in terms of development, and therefore, since the timeline has lapsed, we move forward to the next goals. We will then be in a country that is simply engaging in rhetorical narratives that other people are engaging in. We, as a country, need to look at specific issues that constitute the challenges and opportunities that make it either impossible to achieve some of these development goals or are just impediments that can be dealt with. I wish to state very quickly that these will be fore when I cast my eyes upon Kenya’s development agenda and economic planning. This Motion would probably go all the way and become an Act that would be considered by relevant Ministries. The first thing I would want to see addressed by the relevant Ministry is the issue of a privatization framework of these goals in view of our country. Most of the countries that I have seen try to achieve these goals have been very good at articulating the suitability and availability of resources with regard to these goals. As a country, we have not heard the Ministry that has got relevant instruments of economic planning articulating our suitability in terms of resources, both human and other resources, in regards to some of these goals. When these goals came, many things ended up changing. In view of the dynamism of population and different innovations, we need to constantly review the suitability of resources and more specifically, the suitability of the ministerial framework put in place to be able to attain these goals. That is something I would want to see. When these goals came into place, we, as a country, had not articulated the functionality of our devolved system. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it will be good for the relevant Ministry to also look at the fitting elements to local context of our devolved systems in the context of this Bill. This is because, as you know, the Fourth Schedule cannot be ignored when you look at development goals. The Fourth Schedule of the Constitution gives a lot of some of these functions to the devolved systems of this country. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard Services,Senate."
}