Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1381824,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1381824/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 326,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Osotsi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13588,
        "legal_name": "Osotsi Godfrey Otieno",
        "slug": "osotsi-godfrey-otieno"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to present on this important Bill – The County Boundaries Bill. This Bill is long overdue. The past Senate has made four attempts to resolve this issue. The latest was in the 12th Parliament where this Bill died in the National Assembly after being passed by the Senate. As I stand here, I represent a county with a long-standing dispute on the boundary with Kisumu County at Maseno, as had been alluded to by the Mover of this Bill. Every weekend when I go home, I am confronted by people who ask me when the issue of Maseno will be resolved. I have been telling them that there is a Bill before the Senate to give framework to this process. Madam Temporary Speaker, I must commend the Senator of Homa Bay for coming up with this Bill. If you read through this Bill, it is basically giving a framework on how county boundary issues will be handled. It may not contain the nitty-gritties, as my good friend, Sen. Mo Fire, is requesting, but at least it gives a framework of how the mediation committees will be formed, disputes handled and ther very important issues. Madam Temporary Speaker, Article 188 of the Constitution talks about the process of alteration of boundaries between counties and says that Parliament shall enact legislation. That is basically what this Bill is doing. Madam Temporary Speaker, if you remember very well, in the NADCO report, which we have discussed in this House, one of the issues that came up was county boundaries. They recommended that we have a County Boundaries Bill. I have heard the presentation by the other Members and I have also seen that this Bill has been seconded by the Senate Majority Leader, who is on the other side. I request that in the spirit of NADCO and bi-partisanship, this Bill be handled in that manner, so that we do not have another Bill of NADCO coming again. This is because we are now in the process of implementing the NADCO report as per the Speaker's Communication this afternoon. Subsequently, if there are any gaps in this Bill, they can be handled at the Committee of the Whole through amendment. The issue of Maseno has been the biggest dispute in that region of Western Kenya. The people from the other side of Vihiga County are staying on the other side of Kisumu County up to a place called Chulaimbo. All those places such as Lela and villages around Maseno are occupied by people from the Banyore Community, which is Luhya. That is why the agitation that the boundary should be looked into has been occasioned. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard Services, Senate."
}