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"speaker_name": "[Mr. Oparanya]",
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"legal_name": "Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, since Independence, we have been having disasters all over! Unfortunately, nothing has happened. Those disasters have not been handled effectively. I can mention a few disasters where we have lost lives. I have statistics from the time of Independence up to now. But I will not bother to go into all that. I just came up with the major ones. In 1982, we had floods in Nyanza where 75 lives were lost. You are aware that, since 1984, when HIV/AIDS was discovered in this country, we have lost over 2 million people up to now. In 1990, we had a fire in Lamu, where we lost 20 people. In 1992, we had a train accident at Mtito- Andei where 270 people were injured. We lost 31 people. In 1994, we had a ferry accident at Mtongwe in Mombasa where 270 people died. In August, 1998, there was a terrorist attack in Nairobi where 5,600 people were injured and 214 died. In March the same year, 1998, we had a fire at Bombolulu Girls Secondary School, where property was destroyed and we lost 25 pupils. In August 2000 we had a train accident in Athi River and 25 people died. In 2001, we had fire in Machakos, where property was destroyed and we lost 68 people. In 2004, we had floods in Nyando and 4,000 people were affected. In 2004, we had food poisoning in parts of Eastern Province and 112 people died. In 2006, we had a collapsed building in Nyamakima, and about 20 people died. In 2006, we had a plane crash in Marsabit, and lost 14 people, including six of our colleagues. Recently, we had a landslide in Malava where we lost eight people and just last weekend we buried 30 people in Kisii who had died from road accident. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with this information, you realise that, as a country, we must prepare ourselves for disaster, because disaster is a reality. If we are prepared, we will be able to minimise the impact of disaster. So, we need an authority that will look into all disaster policies that are there. Currently, we have disaster units in all Ministries. You will find a disaster unit in the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife. But what I am saying is that we need a harmonised structure, so that disaster management is handled by one authority that is well funded, equipped and has the necessary resources so as to be able to minimise the impact of disasters on human beings and the economy of this country. If the authority is formed, technically, it will emphasise four important areas of disaster management. I am happy that Moi University has come up with a degree course on disaster management. That is in good direction. Disaster management encompasses three major phases. The first phase is mitigation, and this is where you lessen the impact of disaster on the people, property and even on the economy of the country. That means that it tries to eliminate and reduce risks before the disaster takes place. The second phase is preparedness, or the precautionary measures which ensure that there precautions against disaster. This is like the insurance policy that is taken in advance, so that it helps to cope with the effects of disaster. This will ensure that when we have disaster, we have certain precautionary measures, a sort of insurance, that will take care of the property that is lost. It will, therefore, mitigate the economic impact on the people, property and economy. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the third phase is the response; these are the immediate intervention measures that are there to assist the casualties of disaster. We should have proper measures for search, rescue, shelter and medical care. The last phase is the recovery and return systems so that there is short and long term plan to September 12, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3855 ensure that when we have disaster, there is recovery immediately, before we incur a major losses. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, what will be the functions of the Authority if the Motion passes? The functions of the Authority shall be information management. This means that there will be information gathered at one point, analyzed and proper dissemination of that information to various stakeholders within the country. The other function of the Authority shall be the preparation of the strategies, policies and plans because since Independence, we have policies and strategies to manage things like droughts, floods and so on. We have been having floods in Budalangi year in, year out. So, we should know how to prepare if we have floods; what policies or plans do we have? The other function of the Authority shall be assessing the vulnerability of the country as regards to disaster management. That is understanding the effects of disaster management. The other function would be co-ordination during disaster and emergency situation, where we shall have early warning systems so that we are prepared for the disaster. The other function which I propose is non-emergency situation. Information and exchange of that information, especially when there is no emergency. The other issue would be to conduct an audit and see how we are prepared, including the current capacity of the country regarding disaster management and the general structures that are there in the country for disaster management and responsibility. The reporting mechanisms and related activities within disaster management. The last function would be training and community awareness. We need to have proper capacity and people will be trained from the sub-location level up to the national level to be prepared for any disaster. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have come up with a disaster management authority organization chart or organogram which puts the responsible Minister as head. The way the situation is now, we have the Ministry of State for National Security and Provincial Administration which is in charge of co-ordination. You will find that the Ministry of State for Special Programmes is in charge of supply. So, in some cases there is no co-ordination. You do not know where to go. Sometimes you raise a Question on disaster management and the Minister of State for Special Programmes says that the Question should be referred to the appropriate Ministry. In some cases, you find that you do not get the right answers. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with one organization dealing with it, we shall have an effective management and quick response to disasters when they occur. So, I am saying that the Authority will be under one Ministry which will be specified. I think the most suitable Ministry would be the Ministry of State for Administration and National Security. Under the responsible Minister, there will be the National Disaster Management Authority. It will be a sovereign body and will be answerable to the Minister in charge, hopefully, the Minister of State for Administration and National Security. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there will be a National Disaster Advisory Committee which will be parallel and will be composed of professionals, including retired officers and other people with experience in disaster management so that they can advise the National Disaster Management Authority. There shall be a secretariat which will be manned by professionals to manage the technical aspect, the administration and the finances of the Authority. There will also be a Provincial Disaster Co-ordination Committee which will be in every province. We have eight provinces and so each province will have a co-ordinating committee probably under the Provincial Commissioner. This will be in charge of co-ordination. Thereafter, there will be a committee in every district, which shall be called the District Disaster Management Committee. Finally, there will be a Community Disaster Management structure in every division in this country. There will be another one at every location. At the divisional level, it will be co-ordinated by the District Officer. At the location, it will be by the chief. In every sub-location, it will be under the assistant chief. In every community, there will be a 3856 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES September 12, 2007 Community Disaster Management Committee. Each of these people, including the Provincial Administration personnel, will be trained so that in case of disaster, there will be quick response so that there is no major loss of property and to the economy of this country. With those remarks, I beg to move and request Mr. Mutiso to second the Motion."
}