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"id": 197704,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/197704/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kipkiror",
"speaker_title": "The Member for Baringo North",
"speaker": {
"id": 50,
"legal_name": "William Cheptumo Kipkiror",
"slug": "william-kipkiror"
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"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to thank the people of Baringo North for electing me to serve them in this House. I promise that I will never let them down. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to join my colleagues in paying tribute to His Excellency the President, hon. Mwai Kibaki, and hon. Raila, for demonstrating true leadership by signing the National Accord. Mr. Speaker, Sir, during the First Session of this House, we witnessed serious division and mistrust. Today, hon. Members can work together as members of one team. This is because when our two leaders signed the Accord, they cultivated and built the necessary trust and confidence. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is the signing of the Accord by our two leaders that has restored the country to normalcy. There is a saying that life is about people. Leadership is also about people. Our two leaders have shown that they care for the welfare and wellbeing of all Kenyans. I, indeed, salute them. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the signing of the Accord did not only restore the country to normally, but will also pave way for comprehensive constitutional, electoral, political and economic reforms. These are necessary to lay a firm foundation for a peaceful and stable country. Mr. Speaker, Sir, whereas we appreciate and salute our leaders for signing the Accord, it is important to note that the spirit of our leaders as contained in the National Accord and Reconciliation Bill 2008 can only be realised if the relevant Bills to implement the Accord are enacted into law. Our leaders have done their part. It is this House which has the authority to pass these Bills into law to give effect to the spirit of the National Accord. I, therefore, call upon hon. Members of this House to fully support the enactment of the necessary Bills into law. Mr. Speaker, Sir, from the Presidential Address, I am pleased to note that a National Humanitarian Fund has been established to assist the displaced people by resettling them and providing them with free seeds and other farm inputs. This programme should not target only the internally displaced people in camps. It should also benefit all those who have been displaced during the post-election violence. In some communities, like the one I come from, people who are displaced prefer seeking refuge from their neighbours' or relatives' houses instead of moving and living in camps. For example, in my constituency, I have people who lived in Nakuru, Naivasha, 142 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES March 13, 2008 Nyahururu and other parts of the country. When violence erupted, they were displaced. Up to today, they do not live in the Internally Displaced Persons' (IDPs) camps. They have moved to live with their neighbours. These people should also benefit from the Fund. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there are also people displaced, not as a result of the post-election violence, but as a result of the cattle rustling menace. This is an issue that really hurts me. In my constituency I have well over 200 people, who have deserted their homes as a result of cattle rustling. I am sure that they too are IDPs, though they were not displaced as a result of the post- election violence. There are others in Mt. Elgon, Laikipia and other parts of the country. The Fund should, therefore, be used to help in feeding these people. After all, it is the duty of the Government to help and serve all Kenyans. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the other issue that I would like to raise is the fact that those who have been displaced are really suffering. I would like to thank the Minister of State for Special Programmes for responding very swiftly when I approached her last week. She was able to support my constituents by giving them food. I want to really thank her, and may the Lord God bless her for what she has done for my people. These are serious issues which should be considered, so that when we are setting rules on how to use the Fund, we should take into account some of those challenges. In summary, I propose that those who benefit from the Fund must include: (i) All displaced people whether or not they live in camps; (ii) Those people displaced by the post-election violence and by cattle rustling. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am also pleased to note, from the Presidential Address, that there are plans to table a Bill on wildlife. The current compensation level is Kshs50,000 for injured persons and Kshs200,000 in case of death. Last week, on Monday, I attended a District Wildlife Compensation Committee meeting, and one very interesting case was brought before the committee. A principal of a school was killed by an elephant and we could only afford to approve Kshs200,000 as compensation. I feel this figure is low. I propose that when this Bill is brought to the House, we should raise the compensation level from Kshs200,000 to a minimum of Kshs1.5 million in cases of death. Mr. Speaker, Sir, from the Presidential Address, I am also pleased to note that there are plans to introduce legislation and policies to enhance national security and ensure protection of lives of Kenyans and property. It is true that the post-election violence has been contained by the signing of the historic accord. However, there are parts of this country that have never experienced peace as a result of cattle rustling. Those affected by the cattle rustling menace have continued to be poor. As mentioned by brother Nanok Koli, they lose their livestock which is their only source of living. They are unable to educate their children. They live as refugees in their own country. People continue to be killed and schools are closed. Mr. Speaker, Sir, again, I will refer to my constituency. In Baringo North Constituency, between 30th January and 20th February, 2008, seven people were killed and hundreds of thousands of livestock stolen. Since I was elected to this House, I have held ten peace meetings. I am afraid that the rest of my time might be dedicated to only dealing with insecurity in my constituency. I will, therefore, not have enough time to address the other development programmes. That is unfortunate. Mr. Speaker, Sir, even as we await the tabling of the appropriate Bill on security, I would like to call upon the Government to deploy sufficient security personnel to the affected areas of my constituency and, in deed, to other parts of this country, which are affected. The Government should also help in recovering stolen animals. Finally, it is also encouraging to note that there are plans to re-introduce a Sessional Paper on employment of our young people. Unemployment of our youth has continued to be a major March 13, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 143 challenge in our society. Substantial resources have been set aside to educate the young people, and yet upon completion of their education, they remain unemployed. This has resulted in having unproductive youth who end up engaging in illegal activities. The tabling of the Sessional Paper will give an opportunity to hon. Members to provide---"
}