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{
    "id": 1446521,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1446521/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 140,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Osotsi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13588,
        "legal_name": "Osotsi Godfrey Otieno",
        "slug": "osotsi-godfrey-otieno"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, allow me to talk about this project because this Bill is referring to that project. Having looked at the specific agreement signed between the national Government and the investor; a lot needs to be done. While I fully support the project, the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs should ensure all the gaps in that project, including the issue of land ownership and sharing of proceeds from this investment must be within the law. How shall the local community, the county government, the national Government and the investor benefit? That clarity is very important. Moving forward, I hope this Bill will address that problem. We need to have a specific agreement that captures the interests of all the stakeholders. When I went through the file at the Ministry, I realized that there is no specific agreement that captures the interests of all the parties. It is just a tender document and an award letter. That is not proper because, in the end, we will end up not getting the benefits going to the various stakeholders in the process. This Bill provides a framework under which such arrangements, like the granite factory, will be reinforced so that the communities, the county governments, the national Government and also the investor benefits. This Bill is long overdue. I congratulate the Mover for coming up with it because it is going to help us in our various counties. Mr. Speaker, Sir, even as we talk about minerals, each year, we have passed some conditional grants to the counties and every year, we have that aspect of mineral royalties. We wonder why some counties do not get mineral royalties. In my county, a lot of gold activity is happening and the same happens in Kakamega County where Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale represents. However, in this House when we come here to pass the conditional grants, our counties do not get mineral royalties. What happens, Mr. Speaker, Sir? Is it that the gold mined in our counties is not accounted for or not? If it is not accounted for, who is responsible? We cannot have a situation where in our areas, we have minerals being mined and our communities do not enjoy mineral royalties. This Bill should address this issue of mineral royalties. I will be seeking amendments so that we do not have a situation where we have mining activities happening in our counties and our people cannot get benefits through royalties from mineral activities. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this Bill also talks about the role of the national Government and the one for county governments. It is important to give clarity because some of the agreements that have been signed so far are not clear on what county governments are going to do on matters of minerals, like the gold in our counties. I brought a question here on the issue of gold mining in Vihiga County. I got surprised that the County Government of Vihiga is not aware of what is happening in their backyard. Some unscrupulous people, some from China and other places have invaded my county. They are mining and people are staying on top of big holes and this is a disaster in waiting while the County Government is doing nothing about it. The national Government is doing little about it. They responded to my Statement here that they were going to do something and temporarily, they chased away the company that was mining. After a few weeks, the Chinese came back and started doing the same thing. 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."
}