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"id": 207630,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Obwocha",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Planning and National Development",
"speaker": {
"id": 356,
"legal_name": "Henry Onyancha Obwocha",
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"content": " Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for recognising me. I want to support this Vote and commend the Minister and his officials for what they have been able to do for the country in the water sector. Those of us who have been in this House for a long time know what happened with the Kerendich dams. If the amount of money that was allocated for construction of dams in Baringo District was applied properly, it would have changed that part of the world. However, if you go there today, you will see that, that world looks the same as it was then. So, I want to commend the Minister and his officials for what they have done in terms of sinking boreholes and what they are doing in the area of irrigation. I would like to encourage them to continue travelling on that path and provide water to Kenyans. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I think one of the reasons as to why the President appointed somebody from Ukambani to head this Ministry is so that the Minister can turn around dry areas like Ukambani. We must face this problem squarely. For us in the Ministry of Planning and National Development, on the Budget Outlook Paper, we want to give the Ministry of Water and Irrigation more money. We are increasing our revenue. We want to turn the additional revenue into water. So, I want to tell the Minister and his officials that they are doing a commendable job. I will now turn to the engineers in the Ministry, with special attention to the floods issue in Budalang'i. In 1953 and 1961, Alexander Gibbs Engineers carried out studies on the Budalang'i floods. The report is there. In 1964, the Russians carried out a study on the floods in Budalang'i. I hope that the Permanent Secretary and his officers are listening. In 1972, Howard and Humphreys Engineers carried out a study on the Budalang'i floods. In 1978, an Italian firm, Interco Consult Engineers, carried out a study and made a report on the same. Our own Government carried out studies on the floods in Budalang'i in 1980 and 1992. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with all these reports, are we saying that in this country, there were no proposals made to address the issue of floods in Budalang'i? Must these engineers wait for us to contribute in this House before some of these proposals can be brought forward to solve the issue of flooding in Budalang'i? I believe that the Minister has competent engineers. He should let them look at those reports. In them, there are proposals and solutions suggested for us to implement. Where I come from, the larger Gusii, we have the problem of gum trees. The gum trees have destroyed the water catchment areas. I know that the matter falls under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, but I believe that this is an issue which should be addressed. The dense population in that region is threatening, and we need to reverse the issue of planting gum trees in water catchment areas. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on the issue of the water projects being implemented in Kisii Municipality, I would like to ask the Permanent Secretary and his officers to particularly look at those in Nyamira, which we had proposed should be extended to Kebirigo Trading Centre. We want water in that centre. There are so many people. My people in that centre need water. If they consider these projects, even we in the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF), could try and help in trying to get water to those people. I, really, want to commend this Ministry for doing well in the water resource management. Irrigation and drainage systems, as I have said, are important and are core issues in this country. I support the land reclamation initiative, just as other hon. Members have. It is also particularly important for us to store water to try and help in areas of irrigation and the rest. So, I want to join my colleagues by saying that this is an extremely important Ministry. The manner in which the management of this Ministry is being done will assist this country. As you know, right now, most Permanent Secretaries have gone to the field to collect views from Kenyans 3394 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES August 22, 2007 in order to get Vision 2030 moving. We want to hear what Kenyans will say, see how we can incorporate this very important resource, water, in achieving a middle-level income country status, have our economy grow further from the current 6.3 per cent to 10 per cent and move on for another 20 years. With those remarks, I beg to support."
}