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{
    "id": 1565191,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565191/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 131,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Lemaletian",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise to contribute to the Statement by Sen. Shakila on the LAPSSET issue in Lamu County. It is very important to note that taking land away from our citizens without any form of compensation or relocation directly disenfranchises the citizens and, therefore, denying them their dignity. We have a similar issue of the Yamo Dam, which is in the village I come from and which I have spoken about on several occasions in this House. After the construction of the dam, the compensation has been a headache up until now. Even worse, the piping of this water went through several farms, including for my neighbours. After telling them there was no compensation, there were huge piping holes that were in these farms that caused soil degradation and which affected the environment because most were farming areas. During this rainy season, our neighbours ended up not planting any crops because of the effect of the holes that were dug in their farms. It is sad that the Government does not understand that where their freedom ends, the rights of the citizens begin. Mr. Speaker, Sir, our mandate as legislators is to protect and represent the citizens who elected us to these Houses. When it comes to rural electrification, the LAPSSET, the construction of roads, dams and other social amenities, we have the Committee on Lands, Environment and Natural Resources that sits in Nairobi in a committee room discussing these issues yet, we have a lot of issues that revolve around land belonging to citizens being taken away under the guise that whatever is happening on that land will benefit citizens. We know that but we also know that when you take away land belonging to someone, that directly lowers their dignity and makes them squatters. We are living at such times when there is barely any idle piece of land. I, therefore, urge the Committee on Lands, Environment and Natural Resources should be on their toes, moving from county to county, addressing these issues including the Oljorai matter, which I have been talking about in this House. We had the Committee sit on the same issue today. We need this Committee to go to the grassroots in order to get the views and know where the shoe is pinching. They will then come back and tell people that, indeed, this is how a certain matter should be approached. I thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."
}