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{
    "id": 228846,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/228846/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 120,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Lesrima",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 178,
        "legal_name": "Simon Saimanga Lesirma",
        "slug": "simon-lesirma"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to talk about the issue of equity. Although the Government is being commended for spending Kshs7 billion in the last four years as opposed to Kshs6 billion in the previous 40 years, the question of equity is important, especially to those who March 28, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 167 come from northern Kenya. The last time we heard about electricity connectivity in Samburu District was during the reign of the late President Kenyatta and, even then, I believe it was installed to facilitate the operations of civil aviation and assist direct flights from Sudan to Kenya. We have an issue of equity and yet, there is an opportunity to develop wind, solar and even geothermal power from the northern part of the country. I talk about those issues because reference was made to the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Bill in the Presidential Speech. We do not know what will drive the ICT infrastructure if we do not have electricity. The second issue with regard to electricity is connectivity. There is a huge backlog of connectivity by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC). Mr. Speaker, Sir, let me also refer to another issue that was raised by His Excellency the President. He said that in the agenda of Parliament, there will be a review of the Fire Arms Act to provide for capital punishment for those who acquire, possess and import firearms. That will affect the pastoralists in Kenya. We keep on hearing of large quantities of firearms in the hands of pastoralists. Sometimes, we hear there are up to 100,000 guns that are still uncollected in the North Rift. If that law was modified to provide for capital punishment for possession of firearms alone, we will require large facilities for hanging the pastoralists. I am personally against laws that provide for capital punishment. I am also against the misuse of firearms. We have experienced many deaths and injuries in my constituency in the past year, through the misuse of firearms. Other Kenyans have also suffered. I believe that the current law is adequate to punish those who acquire, possess and import firearms. No amount of hanging will reduce the proliferation of arms in the East African region. As long as the manufacturing countries continue to oppose laws governing gun possession in their countries, this problems will not go away. Mr. Speaker, Sir, let me move on to another subject which was referred to in the Speech. That is the question of judges. There is a recommendation to raise the number of judges. I have no problem with that. But I have a question to ask with regard to that. We are not able to pay the current magistrates adequately. We cannot afford to improve the current infrastructure for the current sitting judges. I have a feeling that there must be a typing error in the number of judges that were referred to in the Speech. We already have 50. I suspect the number referred to in the Speech was 20 and not 200. Somebody must have added a zero to 20, perhaps, with the hanging of the pastoralists in mind!"
}