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"id": 197764,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/197764/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Magerer",
"speaker_title": "The Member for Kipkelion",
"speaker": {
"id": 51,
"legal_name": "Magerer Kiprono Langat",
"slug": "magerer-langat"
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"content": " Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this chance to speak. My names are Magerer Langat and I represent Kipkelion Constituency. This is my first time in this honourable House. First of all, may I take this opportunity to thank God for according us this peace. We are now able to sit down as leaders of this country and discuss the way forward. Secondly, in support of the Motion before this House, I also want to thank His Excellency the President for the move that he made, as well as Mr. Raila, who is the Prime Minister-designate, for according us peace. I want to assure you that as an hon. Member representing Kipkelion Constituency, I am going to fully support the National Accord and Reconciliation Bill and the other Bills that will go a long way in ensuring that Kenya lives in everlasting peace. My constituency happens to be one of the most affected in the recent post-election crisis. That is because the occupancy of that constituency is cosmopolitan. I am a firm believer in democracy and freedom of choice. My people had the right to choose which party they wanted to support. At the end of the disputed presidential election results, that is when mayhem began. We have taken our own initiative, as leaders. Personally, I have gone round the constituency preaching peace and harmony among our constituents. I would like to say that I am an optimist and not a pessimist. I want to see light at the end of the tunnel. As I stand in this august House today, I want to say thank you for the peace that has come. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, if you had an opportunity to visit Kipkelion during the days of mayhem, you would understand my position. I saw people burning property and butchering March 13, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 173 one another and yet, they have lived together for ages. I said that, as a young Parliamentarian, I am going to stand up and say no to those kinds of situations in future! In support of the President's Speech, allow me also to express my sympathies and empathies to those who lost their lives, those who were maimed or hurt and are still in hospitals - others have left hospitals - and those who lost their property. I want to join His Excellency in saying that they should be accorded a quick return to normalcy. They should enjoy the situations that they are used to. Kipkelion Constituency still has over 15,000 people in various IDP camps. There are over 8,000 others living with their relatives. I would like to urge the Government to move speedily to alleviate the suffering of those people. On the same note, I would like to decry the on-going destruction of forests, especially on the west side of the Mau Forest which falls within Kipkelion District, as well as parts of Londiani Forest. This is being done by a well-organised gang. In fact, this morning, the District Commissioner called me and informed me of some shocking news. He told me that they had arrested some police officers escorting trucks of lorries transporting timber. The timber is being cut indiscriminately in that forest because of the acrimonious situation on the ground. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to inform my hon. colleague from Molo Constituency that we need to embrace our leaders spirit of peace. We must move forward speedily to tell our people that they need to co-exist. We cannot live in history. We know that since 1992, our people have been having clashes here and there. How long are we going to sit and condone the same? I want to suggest in this House that Molo Town be made accessible to all persons of this Republic. At the moment, the situation is that members of certain communities cannot access Molo Town. They have been denied various services ranging from hospitals, banking and so on. This cannot encourage peace among our communities. So, it is prudent that we, as leaders, move forward and see to it that persons from other communities access Molo Town. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to support the cries of the farmers because I am an agriculturalist. Generally, the cost of inputs has really tripled. If this Government is serious about agriculture, then this House should move speedily to see what it can do in terms of reducing the costs of inputs and also ensuring that prompt payments are made to farmers. In Kipkelion, farmers have not yet been paid their dues for the maize that they delivered in 2006 to date. On the contrary, the Government expects these farmers to continue with their farming activities. Farmers depend on the proceeds from their produce to continue the business of farming. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the youth form an integral part of this society. It is important for this Government and House to recognise that fact and allow the youth to be given equal opportunities. We have heard so many issues about women. It is high time we also talked about the youth because they form the bigger percentage of this nation. On the same note, I want to suggest that the Government increases the funding that is accorded to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and diversify opportunities that are available for the youth to engage in productive activities. I also want this Government to genuinely integrate youth in all sectors of our lives. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on water issues, I happen to come from a riparian district that is Kipkelion District and the greater Kericho District. These districts are the source of quite a substantial amount of water that feeds Lake Victoria. It is sad to note that we, as the riparian districts, have not benefitted in any way from the waters of Lake Victoria. I know that the Chair is aware that the Ministries of Environment and Natural Resources, Water and Irrigation have been keen on programmes that touch on the usage of Lake Victoria waters. However, they have turned a blind eye on the sources of this water. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I know my time is up. I beg to support the Motion and hope to get another opportunity to contribute. 174 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES March 13, 2008"
}