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{
    "id": 1502692,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1502692/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 124,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Than’gwa",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I know counties need money and it is upon this House to scrutinize how governors are using these monies. Yesterday in the news, we saw that the national Government through the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation is forming a taskforce to fight the rats, snails and birds menace in Mwea. Though it might sound funny, this is a huge problem in Mwea. The people of Mwea are suffering because the rice is being eaten by the Quelea birds, snails and rats. I have talked to the Senator for Kirinyaga County and he has given me more information and told me that the one red billed Quelea bird can eat 80 grams of rice every day. If you multiply that by a year, that is about 215 tonnes of rice. If you convert that to money, it means that the Mwea people lose about Kshs32 million every year. However, when you ask the national Government or county governments, they tell you that they are forming a taskforce. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, our Government really likes meetings. They even have a meeting to discuss whether they should have a meeting. The best way to fight this menace in Mwea is by giving counties more resources. Again, I have been told by the Senator for Kirinyaga County that the County Government of Kirinyaga has never budgeted for this menace. It has never put in money to try and reduce this red-billed Quelea birds that are eating the rice. If you do a little bit of research, you will find out how to keep away these birds. You can use an ultra-sonic repellent. It is a small gadget that emits some sound waves that humans cannot hear, but the birds can hear. This sound will disturb the birds and they will run away. That gadget is going for Kshs3,000 but the county government cannot see it fit to budget for such a gadget. We have known even during our primary school times that we have scarecrows. I know that maybe these birds and rats are used to scarecrows, but in these technological times, the county governments should at least give them drones which emit predatory sounds so that the birds can feel like a predator is on the way. We should not reduce the amount of money that goes to counties. We should also ask the governors to prudently use those resources as per the budget estimates, budgeting process and also as per the people’s priorities. I know I am talking about Mwea, but probably this problem is not just unique to Mwea. Maybe this problem is also prevalent in the rice fields in Bura, Ahero, North Kano, or even Lower Kuja in Migori. When the Government says it is going to form a task force to catch a rat, you ask yourself: Do we not have the people who are mandated to deal with these issues instantly? Must you form a task force to discuss the rats, birds, snails or even how to kill them yet they already know how? All I am trying to say is that money should be used well for the intended purpose. We need to give counties more money, so that we can, as a Senate, use our channels and committees to check on how it is used. I oppose this Report. I thank you."
}