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{
    "id": 135153,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/135153/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 495,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kigen",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 44,
        "legal_name": "Luka Kipkorir Kigen",
        "slug": "luka-kigen"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Motion is timely because it is addressing a very pertinent issue of development of our country. We have already understood that about 80 per cent of our country falls within the ASAL. This is represented by the Ministry of State for the Development of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we talk of 80 per cent of the country being underdeveloped, one would wonder where we lost sight and only concentrated on only a small fraction of the country. Explanations have been given to the effect that allocation of funds was targeting potential areas because of returns. This is, however, not enough reason for us to continue to ignore areas with equal potential for over 40 years. These areas would have taken this country to a different level of development and achievement. The Government did very well by creating the Ministry of State for Development of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands. However, I still believe that the Government never had the intention to address the shortfalls. It should have empowered or increased funding for developing various sectors of the economy in this area. This includes provision of water. If you travel to the north after rainy season, you will find it very green. This means that if sufficient water was available, if the rain water was tapped and kept, it would be used during dry season. This way, we would not be spending the kind of money we spend on buying food to feed people. We would not be struggling to find a way of disposing livestock threatened today by drought and famine. The Government should, indeed, think of putting in more money in the relevant Ministries targeting the semi-arid areas. This should be put in the Budget. It should not just be the responsibility of this Ministry but of the Government. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have given examples of countries like Sudan, Egypt and Israel. These are countries which have produced enough food and export to other countries yet they do not rely, at all, on rain-fed agriculture. If we could look at the Nile Basin Treaty which was entered between the Kenyan Government and the Ethiopian Government before Independence and is operational up to date--- We should change that treaty to allow for the usage of water from Lake Victoria through the River Nile in areas like Turkana. It should be used for irrigation. I can tell you that if we do this, the sights we see in the media of people starving and dying would be history. I think for a long time the Government has been very short-sighted. We cannot apportion blame today on the past leadership because it came from developed areas. People from the north and semi-arid lands were sending representatives to this House. However, they did not raise these concerns. Today, what we are doing is so important. We have come up with this Motion with a view to correcting the errors of the past. We hope that the Government is going to empower and put in more resources into the relevant Ministries like the Ministry of Roads. The Ministry should be able to open up the roads in northern Kenya and other arid areas. If the areas were opened, trade would flourish. Accessibility would be made easier and development will follow."
}