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"id": 1462558,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1462558/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Nyamu",
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"content": "Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (HIV-AIDS), human conflict, drug abuse, traffic accidents, oil spills, industrial accidents, and terrorism, among others. Like many other countries in Africa, we have continued to face a rising degree of vulnerability to disaster risk due to increased diversity, frequency of occurrence and intensity of impact over time and space. The recurring nature of these disasters raises serious questions about safety measures and overall management of the affected areas. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the dawn fire of 3rd August, 2024, which caught traders unawares, is believed to have started at around 4 a.m. on Saturday. While the exact cause of the fire outbreak is still unknown, preliminary reports indicate that it was as a result of electrical fault. This is not the first time the market has gone down in flames. The market has become prone to frequent fires, as a similar case was reported last year in June when traders woke up to find their stalls ablaze and property worth millions of shillings raised down. In November 2021, a fire razed down a section of stalls at the market, leaving traders counting heavy losses again. In 2029, two fires broke out in the market. In 2028, the market experienced three fire cases, with 15 people losing their lives, which led to the then President Uhuru Kenyatta to call for investigations into the incident and for culprits to be brought to book. These frequent fires in this area often fuel frustration and anger among the local community, as lives are also lost in the event of such incidents. That fateful Saturday morning, four people, including a child, were reported to have been burned beyond recognition as a result of the inferno. The victims were reportedly attempting to rescue their belongings when they were overpowered by the flames. The blaze has had a devastating impact on the market, affecting around 2,000 traders who are now left to assess the extent of their losses. One of the critical issues contributing to the severity of these fires is the lack of adequate access roads, which often hinders the rapid responses by the fire services. The same issue of lack of adequate access roads to the market was discussed last time the incident happened, and it is still being discussed today, leaving many unanswered questions. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and contribute to the achievement of Kenya Vision 2030 for sustainable development, it is imperative to restructure the disaster management system with a view to create a safe, resilient and sustainable society. In conclusion, I would like to urge the Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations, in conjunction with the Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations to take an interest in this matter, to consider the following recommendations- (1) Promotion of community awareness of potential hazards and preparedness measures which can be conducted through community engagements, dialogue forums and the use of social media. (2) Training of community by the national and county Governments on effective response to fire disaster in terms of preparedness, evacuation and mitigation, so that they could minimize the loss of life and damage to property. 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 and Audio Services,Senate."
}