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{
    "id": 1550230,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1550230/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 161,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Interior and National Administration",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": " Thank you very much for the very incisive follow-up questions. The first is on the question of Government Chemist services, including using science to conduct research or investigate crimes. As a Ministry, we have established that neither the Government Chemist nor the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are adequately resourced to conduct forensic investigations or ensure they deal with the samples sent to their laboratories. Why? This is because the Government Chemist is centralised. There is only one laboratory serving the whole country, and it is based in Nairobi. Through this House, we have already requested the National Treasury to see if we can decentralise the Government Chemist so that we at least have regional offices that can assist in expediting investigations. Currently, only one lab deals with samples from across the country. The same applies to the DCI. When they do ballistics and other investigations, their laboratory is not adequately resourced. If this House puts in even Ksh1 billion only to these two important institutions, it will make a big difference in expediting investigations, and we shall do this very fast. We not only need both the equipment and decentralisation of these institutions, but we also need specialised human resources to be hired at a cost that can be retained. When I visited the DCI lab, they told me that their struggle relates to their scheme of service. The scheme of service is not good enough. The salaries and allowances are so low that they cannot maintain to retain specialists in government service. Every time our specialists get opportunities in the private sector, we lose them. There is a need to support these two institutions to enable them to hire and retain high-calibre forensic investigators to expedite investigations. However long it takes, because of the challenges that we have, I promise Hon. Martha Wangari that we will do everything humanly possible within the resources that we have to unravel the unfortunate incident that happened to her constituent. On the question by Hon. Millie Odhiambo, most of our fishing waters are generally international, especially those with proper fish for human consumption, like Lake Turkana, Lake Victoria and the Indian Ocean. It is important to note that as we deal with these issues, we must work with the neighbouring countries. Just the other day, I was with Hon. Nabuin in Todonyang. Part of the problem the people of Todonyang are facing is the shared borders and the fact that the fish resources do not understand which country they belong to. They keep moving from one corner to the other, especially when you deal with fresh waters, which are better breeding grounds. As I have indicated in my Statement, it is important to continue working with and have good working relations with our neighbours. On the question of zoning, it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs working together with the county governments to establish The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}