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{
    "id": 183996,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/183996/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 260,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Ochieng",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2955,
        "legal_name": "David Ouma Ochieng'",
        "slug": "david-ouma-ochieng"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I will be very brief. I want to thank Mr. Namwamba and Dr. Khalwale for bringing this Motion to Parliament. Floods have been a very serious disaster in this country. Although the Assistant Minister is stopping us from blaming the Government, I want to say that the Government is wholly to blame for all these menace we are experiencing in this country, especially with regard to floods. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, in my constituency, floods are known to be taking place in the month of April when we experience heavy rains. I do not understand why the Government has not been able to tame these floods year in, year out. I think the floods menace is has come of age in this country and it is important that this House addresses the issue very seriously and avails finances to the Ministry in charge to make sure that floods are tamed before they wreck havoc on the citizens of this country. Flood waters can be converted into good use. I do not understand why the Government is not able to copy what happens in China and India where serious floods take place. The floods we experience here are not as serious as the ones we see taking place outside there. I believe the Government is able to take care of floods that wreck havoc, killing people and destroying crops. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, compensation is a must. If we have already set a precedence of compensating victims of other injustices, why can we not also compensate those displaced by floods? It is important that funds are set aside for that because we suffer the same consequences. Suffering is the same in every area. I want the Government to move in seriously and make sure that funds are set aside to compensate those affected by floods. Like Mr. Mungatana said, when disasters occur, the Ministry in charge which is the Ministry of Water and Irrigation normally disappears very fast. They only leave the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of State for Special Programmes to provide food. For how long are we going to do this? We should have proper plans, which I believe the Government has in its shelves. 2748 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 15, 2008 They are rotting there and nobody is waking up to fish them out and make sure that they are implemented so as to save people from suffering. I would not want to go on more than this. I think I have utilised my minutes very well. I beg to support."
}