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{
    "id": 157992,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/157992/?format=api",
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    "content": "the President and Prime Minister going to clean it and we were all there cleaning. I think we need additional water canals that would give capacity for irrigation. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when the President gave a list of six dams that the Government is going to deal with, I thanked him. These dams are; Badasa Dam in Marsabit for water supply and irrigation, Chemusus Multi-purpose Dam in Baringo, Umaa Dam in Kitui District, Kiserian Dam for water supply, River Nzoia Dam for irrigation of Bunyala and Budalangi and Upper Ewaso Nyiro Dam for irrigation and water supply for Ewaso Nyiro Basin. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I think it is about time our water engineers took seriously the matter of irrigation. If we continue to rely on rain-fed agriculture, we will not even be able to feed this nation; 45 years after Independence, it is a great shame that we still have to rely on external partners to come in and help us. I think we should be able to grow our food. The only way forward is to go irrigation. The Ministry of Water and Irrigation should also give priority to irrigation. The long rains are finally here and we are thankful to God. But, even in my own constituency, there are patches of rain. If you look at it, it is very scary. We will continue to have problems. This is why regional leaders from that part of the country came up with this initiative on Mutui Museo, which means good neighbour. This is meant to try and see whether we can feed our people in the first instance. I am sure, looking at parts of Baringo North and Turkana, the situation has not improved. The President declared famine a national disaster. Let us all rise to the occasion. In the first instance, we have to feed our people this year. In feeding them, we must determine that we cannot continue this way and the way forward is irrigation. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Kenyans are still living as refugees in their own country. The President did realise this matter and he felt very strongly that there is still a lot of work to be done. I know all of us may have forgotten the Christmas gifts we sent to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), as Members of Parliament. I am sure they appreciated. However, we also need to go out there in groups as Members of Parliament and give hope to those Kenyans. We should literally confirm to all of us that never again shall we allow our country to go down this road again. It is important to appreciate that people are still suffering in IDP camps and we need to reach out to them. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the President was explicit on Migingo Island. I know that, that was a very big issue and I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I also want to thank the Ugandan Government for having lowered their flag. This was welcome news and even the British Broadcasting Co-operation (BBC) was able to pick on it. We need the East African Corporation. As I speak, East African Heads of States are meeting in Arusha at the Summit level. We congratulate both President Kibaki and President Kikwete for rehabilitating the road between Arusha and Nairobi. This is part of connectivity as part of the regional infrastructure---"
}