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{
    "id": 1451263,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1451263/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 110,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Ali Roba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I am saying this because having been a governor for 10 years, with that experience, I noticed the critical functions needed such as fire services in the expanding urban centres that are coming up. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in support of the Bill, I wish to propose that when it comes to establishment of the Board, the chairperson should not be appointed by the Cabinet Secretary but the entire board should be competitively sourced as required. Secondly, the representation from counties should not be two because we have 47 county governments and this is a devolved function. You should not have principal secretaries responsible for matters relating to prevention and the one for finance. They ought not to be there completely. Those positions need to be moved to the representation of county governments. Instead of the two, they should be four positions in that requirement. Due to the other gaps in existing regulation on fire and rescue services, the Bill also needs to go deep into the establishment of the standards to be accomplished by each county government because Kenya is comprised of 47 county governments. Each of these county governments must have certain standards that they must meet in terms of fire and rescue services. The Bill also needed to address the need for the establishment of a regional fire and rescue training center that will train fire and rescue personnel to the basic standard required with certification from an institution accredited in the country. It will not only serve Kenya but also other neighboring governments within the greater East African region will be able to use this entity. There is also the need for the establishment of a regional fire and rescue training center that is sort of a college and a university for purposes of making sure that our workforce in terms of discipline acquire the expertise in fighting different types of fire and the first aid requirement. Since they will be the first line of defense against fire, they need to be properly trained. That is something that needs to come out. The issue that my colleague, Sen. Olekina, has shared is very pertinent. The funding for this board and this entity needs to be explicit and clear. Where is the source of funds that will help in establishing this? Other than that, the Bill is generally good. We can improve it by ensuring that the gaps are addressed. Sen. Abass, this also requires that we set a timeframe for compliance. Within what period are county governments required to comply with the requirements of this Bill once it is passed? With such improvement, this Bill will be extremely valuable for our 47 county governments. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I support. Thank you."
}