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"speaker_name": "Mr. M'Mukindia",
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"legal_name": "Kirugi Joseph Laiboni M'Mukindia",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to strongly support this Motion by Mr. G.G. Kariuki. As he said earlier, it is clear that the Settlement Fund Trustee which was given the job of settling squatters and people who were landless on the formerly whites-owned farms in this country, never completed its job. For whatever November 15, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3665 reasons, the job was half-done. Because of that, many squatters were left all over the country without land, while many other people acquired huge chunks of land, which up to today, are still not developed. We should remember that a similar situation has arisen in Zimbabwe, where a similar programme was set in motion. Until about nine years ago, this programme was going on very well. Unfortunately, with the change of Government in the United Kingdom (UK), that programme was abandoned. For that reason, the Government of Zimbabwe was forced to forcefully acquire land on behalf of its citizens. The fact that this has happened in Zimbabwe and, to a lesser extent now the pressure is growing both in Namibia and South Africa for forced land distribution, it does not mean that this country cannot face exactly the same problem. Kenyans have been very patient. If you go to Rift Valley and Meru, for example, you will see huge chunks of wonderful land which are owned by one or two people, but actually surrounded by thousands of squatters. This situation is not sustainable. Unless we redress it quickly, we may end up having a Zimbabwe-style so-called \"land- grab,\" which is actually forced redistribution of land. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, specifically, in my own area, there is a big squatter village called Mashaka. I believe all, of us know what it means. These people actually live on a swamp. Now that it is raining heavily all over the country, they cannot get to their houses because they are flooded. Equally, they cannot go to the toilet. At the same time, they cannot bury their dead. The situation is pathetic. Indeed, we must blame successive Governments for this problem. They have been extremely insensitive to this issue of squatters. We are aware also that two or three years ago, many people were evicted from the forests. They had been settled there by the Government to plant trees. They did not settle there on their own accord. As a result, they ended up being squatters. This problem exists in my constituency. There is a village called Karuri where people have been living on a road reserve for the last four years. This is pathetic. Given that there are huge chunks of land lying idle in this country, what excuse do we, as a country, Parliament and Government, have not to resettle these people? Why do we not buy land from those who have it and resettle these very poor people? It is no wonder that crime and insecurity is increasing all over the country. What would you do if you were a parent with one or two children and you do not have food or a place to settle? What solution or advice do we have for such a family? Obviously, you go to your garden and shamba to get what is there. We are forcing people in this country to become criminals. We are criminalising poverty. It is our own doing. We cannot blame those people. Therefore, this is an issue of identity. I want to join my hon. colleagues in supporting hon. G.G Kariuki to move very quickly to bring this Bill to Parliament, so that we debate and pass it. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}