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"speaker_name": "Mr. Ojaamong",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the report also states that one of the key conditions is that the regional groupings, or individual countries, should create very conducive political and institutional environment, so that they can receive funds and achieve sustainable development. This is very important to our Government. The EU emphasises a very conducive political environment if any sustainable development is to be achieved. What we see in our own country, as has been alluded to by the previous speakers, is the Government poaching MPs from the Opposition, the Government appointing Ministers from the Opposition, the Government trying to kill political parties and so on. Is that the conducive political environment that the EU wants? The Assistant Minister has just said that we should be very keen on the EU because it is our very good friend, and gives us loans at very good rates and also grants. Is this an example that we want to show to the EU? I appeal to the Government to study this report keenly. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when it comes to issues of peace and conflict, in fact, Kenya was thanked in the plenary for being a very good role model in the pursuit of peace around the region. On that, I say that, indeed, the Government has tried to pursue peace in the neighbouring countries, in Somalia and the rest. But at what and whose cost? The Somalis came to Kenya. Our own business people in Eldoret and Nairobi, and the Government itself, incurred a lot of expenses. We do not know whether this debt has been paid or not. Indeed, we have been trying to assist other countries at the expense of Kenyans. Our own people are starving as we sustain foreigners, who are causing chaos in their countries. We cannot even contain our own small clashes. The same Government, which is being praised for championing peace within this region, is creating districts without boundaries. I say this because we have a district boundary dispute with our neighbours, including the hon. Member who spoke immediately before me, which the Government has failed to address for no justifiable reason. One day, the people along this disputed area will say enough is enough; if you cannot give us a boundary, we shall create one for ourselves. That will translate into people fighting in order to establish a boundary, which the Government should give. Some of our people do not mind being in Bungoma and some of the people of Bungoma would not mind being in Teso. Why is the Government using this issue to cause animosity among its people? So, as we try to address issues of peace within the region, we should also look at issues that can cause conflict and bloodbath in our country. So, if the Kibaki Government, with all this goodwill, will not be able to give the residents of various districts proper boundaries, for example the Tharaka who are now fighting the Meru over a boundary, what does it expect people to do? People will have to fight one another. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, people say the EU has very many programmes like the Lake Victoria Basin Programme. I happen to be a beneficiary of the Nile Basin Initiative. This is a very big project. It is crucial to the provision of clean water to my people. I went, with the Vice- President and Minister for Home Affairs, to launch that project in my constituency. Almost eight months have elapsed and we have not seen any water. The only thing that has happened is the ground breaking ceremony that we performed. Is that the way European Union (EU) projects are April 10, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 491 executed? For example, they said that the afforestation project will start from Mt. Elgon District and extend to Bungoma District. To date, we have not seen any seedlings and no project has been initiated. The EU has also talked about the construction of the Mombasa-Malaba Road and the Mombasa-Busia Road. Those roads were supposed to be started from two fronts. They were supposed to start from the other end and from Busia and Malaba. But, for reasons that we cannot understand, the road is being done from Mombasa going downwards. Nothing is being done from the other end. What I am trying to put across is that the EU has expressed concerns on how those funds are being utilised. They want transparency and accountability. But the way our Government treats issues is not pleasing to them. That is why they give so many conditions that our Government, at times, is unable to meet. Now that they are being handled at the regional level, it will even compound the issue. My appeal is that, if those EU projects have to come up--- Most of them should be decided on the Floor of the House here, so that we know which projects are being funded this year. We should not just be finding them in our budgetary estimates or hear about them in conferences and elsewhere. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support the Report."
}