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{
    "id": 234856,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/234856/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 247,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Ethuro",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Planning and National Development",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 158,
        "legal_name": "Ekwee David Ethuro",
        "slug": "ekwee-ethuro"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in fact, I was wondering if Mr. Nyachae would wish to be a refugee under those circumstances. It depends on the circumstances. However, I know that he cannot be one, because he lives in better circumstances than those I am describing. November 14, 1006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3641 Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is not our problem that we are in those circumstances. I think the Government is doing everything within its powers to try and mitigate those circumstances. But my appeal would be to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the other United Nations (UN) bodies. If you look at the budget for the Operation Lifeline Sudan for the UNHCR in Kakuma and Dadaab, 1 per cent of it, which is usually in billions of Dollars, would make a big difference in these areas. We need a proper interpretation of the concept of social corporate responsibility. We are now dealing with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). One of them states that we foster proper partnership between the developed and the developing world. Where else would a developed world demonstrate that partnership if not in those kinds of refugee camps under their care? These are the kind of questions we would wish to pose to the UNHCR. These are the questions that this Bill has attempted to answer, by ensuring that a committee that is formed to deal with the refugee affairs has a representative of the host community. This is what we want to see in this Bill. We demand local participation, because there are conflicts between the refugee population and the host community. The Government security forces seem to be under obligation to protect the refugees and not the host community. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will cite one other example. At one time, our local people were trying to protect their forests from being depleted and in the process, a woman was shot dead and the people in Kakuma demonstrated. As a result, the police came to attack Kenyans. I was an Assistant Minister in that Government, but I became a warlord given the circumstances. I was a warlord of peace. I went there, just to demonstrate in support of my people. These are very serious matters that I have first-hand experience in. I have faced the challenges of representing a host community. I am happy that the Minister has, at least, brought this Bill before this House. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the fact that refugees enjoy a better life than the host communities can be owned up by the Government. When we ask them to leave because now there is peace in Sudan, for example, they still come back to Kakuma Refugee Camp. This is because there is better life there. It is good that Kenya offers a better life to everybody. But let us make sure that the living conditions of both communities are well taken care of. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also hope that this country will rise to the occasion and be able to learn from our neighbours. We, as a country, should learn lessons from the war-torn Somalia, conflicts in Sudan, Uganda and the genocide in Rwanda."
}