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{
    "id": 195239,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/195239/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 40,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Shaban",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister of State for Special Programmes",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 139,
        "legal_name": "Naomi Namsi Shaban",
        "slug": "naomi-shaban"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to reply. The Ministry of State for Special Programmes has forumulated the National Disaster Draft Policy, Strategy and Initiatives on disaster management. The policy provides the necessary legislation, strategies and the way forward regarding disaster management in Kenya. However, before the policy is discussed and passed in the House, the following measures are in place to deal with natural and man-made disasters:- The Government has put in place District Disaster Management Committees in all the districts drawing their membership from relevant district heads of departments, a cross section of NGOs represented in the district and the residents under the chairmanship of district commissioners. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, sensitization and training have been conducted on disaster management for the committee members. Each district has also formulated a disaster action plan. Whenever disasters occur, the committees take necessary mitigation steps before informing the headquarters for support. The Government is currently maintaining some four million bags of maize under the Strategic Grain Reserve with equivalent cash for logistical support in delivery of the relief to disaster areas. The grain can be mobilised at short notice to disaster areas. The Government also relies on the support of its partners, like the Kenya Red Cross Society and United Nations agencies in times of disasters and emergencies for support. The Department of Arid Lands Resource Management monitors the advancement of drought on a monthly basis and issues monthly bulletins on drought situations. The bulletins assist in drought preparedness activities undertaken by the Government and other organisations. The Department's development component has enough resources to mitigate on the effects of droughts. Communities in 28 drought-prone districts are currently being supported in disaster preparedness in activities such as construction and repair of water dams, pans, stocking and restocking of dairy animals and other resilient species that assist the communities to overcome the effects of the drought. The Western Kenya Flood Mitigation Project has also been initiated in the Nzoia River Basin with the support of the World Bank. The overall project's aim is to address the flood management in the entire Nzoia River Basin by undertaking immediate stern measures and interventions of reducing the effects of drought by repairing the bridge sections of levees which were constructed over 30 years before March to May, 2008 rains. Once this is achieved, flood management in the Nzoia flood plains will be improved and flooding within Budalangi will be April 30, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 749 minimized. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is also the National Disaster Operation Centre which was established in 1997 to co-ordinate and disseminate information during the El Nino rains. The Centre has continued to be of value as it offers rapid response to any disaster operations as a first responder. The Department has collected data relating to persons, organisations and where they are placed in order to be able to respond to any emergency by deploying such persons and organisations from their places of operations. The National Disaster Operation Centre is manned by persons with different experiences from the field of operation such as military officers, police officers, firemen, doctors, public health officers, water engineers and road engineers. This is both for disaster preparedness response as well as mitigation."
}