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{
    "id": 151692,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/151692/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 504,
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    "content": "George Bernard Shaw once said: “The greatest sin we can commit against our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them.” That is the essence of inhumanity. For three decades, three successive Governments have been indifferent to the plight of squatters in this country. Not much has been done and even as I speak, we are creating more squatters. I watched hon. Kilimo in Embobut with her people being thrown out of a forest and their property being burnt and asked: “If the Government can become the arsonist, what will happen to this country?” As I speak, we are getting more and more squatters. To set up a Fund to start addressing this problem is a step in the right direction that will give hope to Kenyans. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, our founding fathers, on whose symbolic shouldiers we stand as a nation, intended this nation to be a land of plenty. In the National Anthem we say:- “May plenty be found within our borders. May we dwell in unity, peace and liberty.” Indeed, Kenya remains a land of plenty, but it is plenty in a few hands. This is a problem that we need to start addressing. Indeed, in the course of this debate, we heard Members speak, passionately, about the plight of squatters in their constituencies. We heard, for example, hon. Kamama speak of a Kenya that has eight provinces, yet three are owned by less than five families. We heard hon. Mututho speak of a Kenya where about two families own the whole land right from the foot of the Ngong Hills to the shores of Lake Naivasha. Another family owns land right from Lake Naivasha all the way to Lake Nakuru. Most of that land lies idle and unutilized and yet, many Kenyans cannot access land, not even to dig a grave for their loved ones or even put up a toilet. They live in swamps and even on road reserves. Is this really the Kenya we want? We heard hon. Kioni speak of a Kenya where 10 million acres were taken over by the colonialists and yet, only 1 million acres were returned to Kenyans. Half of that went to a few families. The other Kenyans share about 500,000 acres. We heard hon. Joho and Prof. Kaloki speak about constituencies in this country where half or even 80 per cent of the residents are actually squatters, be it in Kibwezi or Kisauni. It is a real problem. What we are urging is the problem that hon. Kigen, the Member for Rongai Constituency and hon. Kabando wa Kabando spoke about; about professional squatters. Those are well-connected squatters who have benefited in almost all the schemes that have been created and yet, that has been done at the expense of genuine squatters who have never been settled. What we are seeing is not a tale of two cities like Charles Dickens said. It is not a tale of two Americas like Senator John Edwards, who was a presidential candidate said - America for the poor and America for the rich. We have a tale of two Kenyas - a Kenya for the few rich and a Kenya for the majority poor. The time has come when we, as a nation, must confront the ghosts of the past, face those inequalities and start addressing those problems. If you ask Mr. Alfred Mutua, the Government Spokesman, he would say: “Najivunia kuwa Mkenya”, but if you ask the squatter in Trans Nzoia, Rongai, Kibwezi, Kisauni and other parts, he will tell you: “Navumilia kuwa Mkenya”, because life is terrible. This is something that we must deal with and see what can be done. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I agree with Dr. Oburu who has said that those are issues that we need to address through a comprehensive land policy. We know that there are people in the Cabinet who are stalling the process of enacting a land policy."
}