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"id": 207605,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/207605/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Prof. Oniang'o",
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"speaker": {
"id": 363,
"legal_name": "Ruth Khasaya Oniang'o",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me a chance to contribute to this Motion. I take this opportunity to congratulate the Ministry of Water and Irrigation mainly because of one reason. I recall some time back when there was a typhoid epidemic. Nobody was even sure of the quality of tap water. It was alleged that, in fact, instead of putting chlorine, we were using chalk to treat the water. I want to applaud them because I think the water quality in this country has improved. We know water is life. The very water we drink can actually turn into poison, if we do not take care of it. In that sense, I want to applaud them. August 22, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3387 Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am also aware that they are trying to address the issue of water shortage. We are a water destitute country. As far as boreholes are being dug all over the place, I want to be assured that there is regulation. We are looking for ground water. But one area that we are not so good at is to manage large waters. When you look at Budalangi Constituency on television, you just imagine what could happen if we harvested all that water. What would happen if we directed that water to the receding Lake Victoria? We want to be assured that we are looking for a technology which can actually manage torrential waters, when there is so much rain. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to touch on the issue of the Indian Ocean, where Kenya has a major border. For the rest of us, it is like Mombasa is very far away. We do not even care about that resource. I was in Mozambique the other day and I saw how well they are actually using their sea line. The water that comes out of the sea actually feeds the rest of the population. That is an area I would like them to go into, with a technology that can take care of that. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the other issue is where we have little springs all over the place. Again, there are so many that we do not seem to have enough expertise. I would like the Ministry of Water and Irrigation to actually tell us how many personnel it has in this country and what efforts it is making to train more Kenyans in geology and water technology and engineering, so that we can manage that resource properly. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we are also aware that many people require irrigation. With global warming, the Continent of Africa is suffering. Areas which used to produce food are not producing food any more. Seasons are not predictable any more and yet, we have seen the world over that there is either too much drought for too long, or too much rain and flooding that is killing people. That is a reality that is with us to stay. I would like to see the Ministry of Water and Irrigation working closely with climate change experts and environmentalists, so that the two could go hand in hand to ensure that we actually have proper water systems. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in the cities, we have Kenyans still buying water. Water, as we said, is life. It is a basic resource and yet, many Kenyans in this city walk long distances looking for clean water. It is as if they are in the rural areas. What is the Ministry doing about that situation? We are also aware that record keeping in the Ministry of Water and Irrigation is not properly computerised. Consumers are complaining that their records are not being kept properly. Could we have the Ministry actually looking into some of those areas which still require a lot of attention? Mr. Speaker, Sir, when it comes to the issue of global warming and control of rivers, again, I was in Mozambique where I saw them controlling the flow of the water in the Limpompo River. I am aware that this country can actually bring that technology. Much as we applaud them, I know that they have been dealing with crucial issues and trying to bring the Ministry where it should be. But we would like to see more modern technology and engineering in that area, even if it means importing engineers and letting them work with our local engineers to improve our water situation."
}