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{
    "id": 1368074,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1368074/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 254,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherarkey",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "Domestic Product (GDP) and being a lifeline for a staggering 60 per cent of rural population depends on livestock. From the onset, the issue of handling livestock and produce theft has been scattered in many laws. These includes the Penal Code, Branding of Stock Act and the Stock and Produce Theft Act. I propose the Stock and Produce Theft Act should be repealed, especially Section 278 of the Penal Code CAP.63 laws of Kenya. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, cattle rustling and banditry is found in North Rift and northern Kenya. It used to be a cultural event as part of initiation to manhood. One would go and “steal livestock” and then use it for dowry negotiations and payment. However, this issue has mutated into a serious and dangerous criminal enterprise. Deaths and theft of livestock have been the order of the day in this part of the country. My heart goes out to the many victims and families who have lost their loved ones over a period of time because of these menace. The menace continues to be a threat to national security and continues to rob families of their loved ones, wherever they are. The other day, somebody was killed while herding his cattle near a primary school in Baringo County. He was killed by bandits who were later pursued by the security forces. In the North Rift region, the guns have gone silent temporarily. We hope and believe the solution to prevent banditry and cattle rustling is to have development in those areas. Most of these parts are remote. We need to have security, roads, establish schools and have a proper way of shared resources such as water and pasture. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this Bill is a bit complex. I have tried to address a lot of aspects to fight this criminal enterprise of cattle rustling and livestock and produce theft. For the intention of the House, 60 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and rural population depend on livestock, be it poultry or pigs. For example, in the country as per the population housing and census of the previous year, we have over 18 million cattle, 18 million sheep, 28 million goats, three million camels, 334,689 pigs and 31 million poultry across the country. This points to the 60 per cent of GDP. One of the changes is the branding of livestock to ensure that, that identity cannot be stolen. The Bill has tried to address that issue. It is about time we agreed as a country to put it in law. We want to brand these animals and ensure that the movements of animals is tracked. We want to ensure that when they are slaughtered in the Nairobi City County abattoirs--- The biggest trend has been the commercial financing of the cattle rustling and banditry, where animals are stolen and taken to abattoirs in Nairobi or other major cities or towns. This could be the same meat we enjoy at the parliamentary cafeteria or in the big five-star hotels in the cities and towns in the country. We could have unknowingly financed the ugly head of cattle rustling and banditry of livestock in the country. It is high time we tracked the animals by branding them. When we are moving the animals to Nairobi for slaughter, let us ensure that tracking is done. Let the people who slaughter in the abattoirs have records. I propose that before you slaughter livestock, you must maintain that the records are there. Finally, we look at the offenses. We have tried to deal with the offenses and that is why we are going to put an identifier, which is a permanent mark or representation on 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 and AudioServices, Senate."
}