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{
    "id": 1405122,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1405122/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 498,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Joe Nyutu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for the opportunity. I also rise to support this Motion by the Senator for Machakos County, my good friend, Sen. Kavindu Muthama. For the last few days, rains have pounded this country in a big way. This have resulted into many problems, including flooding and, in some cases, landslides. As I speak, in my county, Murang’a, we have had some landslides affecting the road between Murang’a and Kiriaini town, which is in Township Ward of Kiharu Constituency. We also have a bridge in Kigumo Constituency that is Muthithi Ward, the bridge that connects Kiahiti to Muthithi. As I stand here, I am also one of the people whose counties have been affected by these floods. Madam Temporary Speaker, these issues need to be addressed at the earliest possible opportunity. I stand with other colleagues who have submitted that we should not be quick to blame the national Government. Funds have been disbursed to county governments. They have the emergency fund, but nothing is happening on the ground. Counties should move with speed and also take preventive measures. They should prevent some of the occurrences such as landslides from happening. Gabions were common during President Moi’s time. That is something that counties can do with locally available materials because they have the fund. Madam Temporary Speaker, I urge Murang’a County Government to address the landslides affecting the Murang’a-Kiria-ini Road, Kiahiti Bridge between Muthithi and the other side of Kiahiti and see that mitigative measures have been put in place. Even as we say this – I am happy that one of my colleagues has also talked about it – we must see to it that waterways are not blocked by anything. This is where the physical planning departments of the various counties come in. They should not allow any developments or buildings to be put up on waterways or riparian lands. These are things that are within the capacity of the counties. I also support that we should harvest the water. We have floods now. However, after some time, people in some areas will start crying that they have no water. Counties may not be able to construct big dams, but they can do water pans to harvest the water. If we harvest it, it will not damage our roads and other facilities. We need to be disaster prepared. Every county should have a disaster preparedness plan, so that we do not only come in when disasters have occurred. We will prevent disasters from happening because we are prepared."
}