HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 183960,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/183960/?format=api",
"text_counter": 224,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Khalwale",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 170,
"legal_name": "Bonny Khalwale",
"slug": "bonny-khalwale"
},
"content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I rise to second this Motion. Let me commence by acknowledging the 67 per cent rating that this Parliament was given by members of the public for the good work they think Members of Parliament are doing. I want to assure the public that we are not going to disappoint them. Let me also compliment hon. Namwamba for this Motion and more importantly, for the commitment that he has put to parliamentary democracy in the short period that he has been in Parliament, this being in spite of threats from some political party bigwigs. People in Budalangi have lost lives and property. It is, therefore, incumbent upon me to pass my condolences to all of them, including their families and friends who are affected, not forgetting that they are my in-laws since my wife is from Bunyala. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is very painful to see that a Government that has been in existence for over 45 years continues to call the Budalangi problem an emergency. It can only mean that we have a Government that is not sensitive and responsive because it is not just in Budalangi alone that we are having this kind of recurrence. We have these experiences elsewhere in the world. We have them in places like Cuba and North America where normally serious hurricanes occur but because of good governance, the American and Cuban governments are prepared. They are prepared to the extent that when hurricanes come into Havana, you do not see these kind of damages resulting into loss of property and lives. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, what hon. Namwamba is trying to do is the modern way of approaching national problems. The modern way of doing things is to institute legislation when a disaster strikes, like the case that we are dealing with. Let me remind the House that it is only the other day when there was an economic disaster in America where the New York Stock Exchange was almost collapsing and both the House of Representatives and the Congress responded very quickly and brought in legislation that addressed the problem. So, this Government of ours should be brave enough just like the US Government was and accept legislation to address a national disaster. I am, therefore, begging this Government to accept this legislation in the same spirit that modern way of solving problems is done by the use of legislation. October 15, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2737 Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the floods that occur in Budalangi have serious consequences and even if they do not result into loss of property and lives, there are other undercurrents. These include increased levels of poverty, illiteracy and disease. When hon. Namwamba decries and says that no one should think the people of Budalangi are looking for goodies from the Government, I could not support him even more because the people of Budalangi know how to combat poverty. They know it so well that if you go there, in the absence of these floods, they are very good fishermen. The people of Budalangi are very good farmers in that they have got one of the most successful rice growing project; the Bunyala Rice Growing Project, Maslita, which if these dykes were in place, would allow the people of Budalangi to go ahead and earn their own living without relying on relief from the Government. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, when floods strike, it becomes completely impossible in Budalangi for children to go to school. When this happens, children drop out of school and unfortunately, most of them, especially the girls start family life early. In the process, they contribute to levels of illiteracy that we the people of Western Province and Kenya in general would wish to do without. The floods in Budalangi carry with them very many killers in the name of waterborne diseases. Besides this, we also have malaria. Also the people of National Aids Control Council (NACC) must not forget that whenever the floods strike and the victims go to those camps, then the social fabric is interfered with to the extent that the prevalence of HIV and AIDS becomes a fresh challenge. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I say all the above without any apologies in submitting that this is the failure of the Government. It is the Government that should have known these issues better than hon. Namwamba and myself who are today articulating the problem. It is important that the Government realises that playing affirmative action is not a favour; neither to the people of Budalangi nor those from the Arid and Semi- Arid Lands (ASALs) in this country. When I was chairing last week's session of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), I talked to senior accounting officers from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and I asked them about Budalangi. Anyway, so that I am not seen to be promoting the interests of my community, let me tell you what I stumbled on in Garissa. A new borehole that the Government voted Kshs1.3 million for and on which the Government was able to spend up to Kshs770,000, required the civil servants who live in Garissa and who know the importance of water to contribute from their own Savings and Co-operative and Credit Organisation (SACCO) in order to fund this Government project of Kshs1.3 million for the people of Garissa to be given a borehole. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, when I look at the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, I realise that in 2005 when they did it, the same Ministry besides giving only Kshs1.3 million to Garissa, gave over Kshs400 million to Meru District which has got far much more rain water than this ASAL areas. I wonder whether we really have a Government that has got a head on its shoulders. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, it is the issue of inequality which results to the example of Garissa being given Kshs1.3 million to do a borehole and a district which receives enough rainfall to be given Kshs400 million. It is the kind of leadership in this country, that is partly, if not wholly, to blame for the post-election violence that we had in this country. It is, therefore, important that as we look forward to a new Constitution, we interrogate the theory of Government. I know that some people want us to have the Presidential system of governance while others want us to have the Parliamentary system. As we decide which system to use, for the sake of the children of Garissa who died because the Government could not budget for Kshs1.3 million for 2738 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 15, 2008 water, let us think about a theory of Government that will provide for equal distribution of national resources to the people of this country. I can see some people shouting: \"We want a Parliamentary system\". Please, if we adopt the Parliamentary system, then the head of the Government should be subjected to an election that is determined by the 35 million Kenyans. To allow the head of Government who will come from that Parliamentary system to be elected by 210 Members will create a parliamentary dictatorship that will be enjoyed by the person who is best fitted to buy support. With those few remarks, I second this Motion."
}