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{
    "id": 1354802,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1354802/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 156,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Maanzo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13589,
        "legal_name": "Maanzo Daniel Kitonga",
        "slug": "maanzo-daniel-kitonga"
    },
    "content": "Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, I am the one who chaired that day as he was busy chairing a different meeting. Madam Temporary Speaker, this is an important piece of legislation that will work together with other legislations. Already, there is an Anti-Stock Theft Unit in the country, which operates as a policy, with a policy framework, but without a law. This law will realize that policy framework. Madam Temporary Speaker, there is something which could be added in this Bill. There are modern methods of dealing with anti-stock theft. For example, we could install chips on animals. We talked of branding, but some forms of branding may amount to cruelty to animals such as burning the skin of the animal, having to pierce the ears and things like that. However, if we use modern technology and have chips installed, we could easily ascertain the identify farmers and their cattle. If a cow is stolen and slaughtered, it is traceable up to where it was slaughtered. Madam Temporary Speaker, this is a serious matter. People have died in the northern parts of Kenya because of this. The police officers and soldiers who have tried to stop it, have died. When they arrest or apprehend somebody or people who has stolen cattle, ordinarily, there will be gunfire. Even when the police officers overpower that particular person, they will execute them summarily, without a trial or arrest. They end up failing to obey the Constitution. The rights of the accused person do not apply in this case. Other than this legislation, how do we solve this problem? We need to engage the communities in this practice. One way of the Government engaging is to make sure there is development in their counties. The livestock farmers should be settled. They should not be allowed to wander all over the place. The Government should ensure that there is communication in the event of an attack. It is easy to get hold of the cattle rustlers because these are communities who are neighbours or from neighbouring counties. Ordinarily, it is a matter of policy and practice, or by what the country has already been doing, we will be able to strengthen this by the law we are enacting here. I also find offences in this Act not matching with the penalties which should be meted to such people. We should also look at the ways in which the Government could rehabilitate such people to make sure that they are useful to the nation. Some of the cattle rustlers are from neighbouring countries. How do we deal with international relations in that matter when we apprehend a criminal who is not a citizen of this country? That is likely to strain our relations with their neighbours. We need to go a step further to make sure that the neighbouring countries have an agreement with us. The people who come to steal and commit robbery with violence should be dealt with accordingly. Most importantly, it is a cultural practice. Now there is a law to regulate them so that cattle rustlers know the consequences. Therefore, there is need to communicate and educate these communities so that people are aware that there is a new law by Sen. Cherarkey. If they proceed with it, they will get results. If you look at the offences provided for in this Bill, some are duplicated in the Penal Code or found in other Acts of Parliament. However, this law leads the way."
}