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"id": 196195,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/196195/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kinyanjui",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Roads",
"speaker": {
"id": 48,
"legal_name": "Lee Maiyani Kinyanjui",
"slug": "lee-kinyanjui"
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"content": " Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I am very happy to get this opportunity to voice the concerns of thousands of Kenyans who are currently holed up in IDP camps, simply because there was an electoral dispute after the 2007 General Elections. It is unfortunate that most of the people who are held up in those camps are ordinary Kenyans who had no role to play whatsoever, other than belonging to certain communities. As a result of that, they were evicted from wherever they were living and thrown into the IDP camps. Having said that, I think it would be important also to recognize that the survival of the people in the IDP camps for all that time has been made possible through the hard work of certain organizations and individuals who have contributed generously towards their livelihoods, food and clothing. I want to take this opportunity to thank everybody who may have participated in ensuring that the people who are in IDP camps have a reasonable livelihood and can be able to enjoy life at that level. In connection to that, I would like also to say that it has been extremely difficult for the few IDPs who have made some efforts to try and go back to their homes and farms. Whenever they have tried to do that, there have been threats and leaflets. That has made it impossible for them to go back and settle in their farms. I strongly support the fact that we need to involve political leaders, religious leaders and leaders at the grassroots level. Without them, we really cannot go very far. The people on the ground tend to put a lot of weight on what the politicians say. So, I think this is a golden opportunity for the politicians, especially from the Rift Valley, to take that opportunity and spearhead--- That is because we have a situation where we are hiding behind the pretext that we are going to prepare our people to accept those who are in the IDP camps. That might well be true. But it is good to remind hon. Members that immediately after the announcement of the Grand Cabinet, we did not require any preparation for Members to integrate with fellow Members from the other parties. So, I do not think it requires anything much more than the goodwill and commitment from the politicians and church leaders to settle our people. Moreover, the first thing is to recognise that there was a problem. That has been done. Initially, in January, we had said that the people would not be able to go back until the National Accord was signed. That has already been signed. After the National Accord, we said we had to wait until the Grand Cabinet had been named. That has also happened. My request and plea to Members is that for the Kenyans down there on the ground, there is no other excuse that can be given for not being able to resettle them immediately. It pains Kenyans today that, as Members sit in the comfort of their offices, Ministries and wherever else, Kenyans who are paying taxes cannot go to their farms and make a genuine living out of their own sweat. I think it is important. I 650 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 23, 2008 strongly urge hon. Members to kindly agree that, as much as there may be long-standing issues that require immediate attention--- We do agree that some of them are very weighty. Some of them may require immediate attention. But it is also important to know that IDPs are not going to solve those problems. The issue of sorting out those problems, be it in Mt. Elgon or Mau Summit, does not lie with the IDPs. So, the moment we deny the IDPs the opportunity to return back to their livelihoods, we are punishing the wrong people. I think it is important that we put the case about Mt. Elgon and other issues to the offices that can make a change. Otherwise, we continue to punish people who had no role in the issues that we are trying to solve. I would also like to remind hon. Members that in an ordinary situation, when there is a road accident, for example, even if the driver was drunk and he was driving on the wrong side, the first and most natural thing to do is to give that victim medical attention. I think for us to start saying that before we do that, we must get to know the root causes of road accidents on that particular road, is to play and joke with the psychology of Kenyans today. So, my plea to my colleagues is to kindly embrace the spirit of dialogue. It is possible to say that we support it. But in our hearts, I am sure there are some people who still do not believe that certain communities should be living in some places in this country. I think it is good to come up and address that issue as it is. Otherwise, if we keep on going back and forth and Kenyans are suffering and dying--- If we keep on feeding a population of 350,000 Kenyans today - that is the number of IDPs who are currently in the camps--- They are not working or engaged in any viable economic activity. It is going to drain this country eventually. So, those people have to go back to their farms. We have small farms of one to ten acres--- When we are talking of a serious food shortage in the world--- Not just in Kenya! We have a population of 350,000 people that we would prefer to keep in the camps, I think that is unacceptable today. I beg to support."
}