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"speaker_name": "Mr. M.Y. Haji",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this Vote. I join the other side of the House to support this Motion. I am obliged to do so, first, as a senior citizen of this country and, secondly, as a person who has been brought up in the Office of the President. I believe and trust that the Office of the President is the heart and engine of this nation, because it deals with the security of the country. We should not be blinded by some flaws that could happen in any organization in the world. I can say that the system is working because we do not have civil strife in the country and no external aggression from outside our borders. I want to commend the Provincial Administration and the police who deal with civil matters in this nation. They have done exemplary work in curtailing crime in recent times. It would be totally wrong for us, as a nation, to always criticize for the sake of it and, therefore, demoralizing our officers who work day and night while we sleep in our houses peacefully. Whether it is raining or shining, you will always see a police officer or an administration police officer on the road on duty, while the rest of us are sleeping peacefully. The only thing we could do is appreciate their role and, therefore, support them wherever and whenever it is necessary. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to remind the House that what I am saying is from the bottom of my heart and my personal experience. If there are Government officers who July 12, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2045 work 24 hours, 30 days in a month and 365 days in a year, it is officers in the Provincial Administration and police. I know that because when I was a District Commissioner (DC) and later a Provincial Commissioner (PC). I could not even go to the toilet without telling my secretary. That is because a DC could call to report a crisis which required Government intervention. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, to me, the allocation of Kshs29 billion is not adequate, if we want the Office of the President to cover all the aspects of security in the nation. We know that right now, there is hue and cry over the situation at our border with Ethiopia. Our officers are capable of handling the situation so long as they are facilitated with the necessary resources like motor vehicles, communication systems and even aircraft to ferry them to conflict zones as soon as possible. Our border is very long! It is very difficult to cover it by road. Sometimes you need swift movements of troops and officers. You can only do that when you have the necessary facilities to move into those areas. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, regarding the creation of new districts--- When districts were created during the last regime, people said that they were \"political districts\"! The other day, when this Government created new districts, people said they were political districts simply because they coincided with the Referendum. I believe that the requests were from leaders and the people of those particular areas. There is no district which is not a political district. Nyeri is a political district. That is why it is represented by constituencies. Similarly, all the other districts were created after Independence on the basis of politics. That is why we are here to represent people from those districts. I believe that it is out of necessity that districts were created. At the Bomas of Kenya, we were talking about devolution. Creation of districts is an indirect way of devolution because people will get employment and development. What else do we need? We need employment and development. Therefore, people should hold their horses. Those who do not want the new districts, it is up to them. For us who want them, we say: \"Thank you very much!\" I request the Minister to hasten the creation of those districts. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is only one thing that I want to differ with not only this Government, but also with the previous one! When districts are created and people disagree, surely, is it not the responsibility of the Government to arbitrate and take the necessary action? We have maps and records left by the colonial government. We also have records of the present Government. Even the current maps of constituencies and wards, particularly in our area--- The areas belonging to various clans, including grazing areas, are specified. So, what happens is that when the other group does not want you to have a district, they will oppose it. But instead of the Government going into the records and saying: \"No, this is proper\", you are left alone to solve the crisis and agree among yourselves. In the process, you have no option but to agree. I want to say that, although we have agreed on the boundary of Ijara District, I hope that, one day, as the President has assured us, we are going to have a new Constitution. It will create boundaries commission which will revisit some of those issues. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, regarding the Provincial Adminstration, I want to commend the Minister. When the NARC Government took over power, there was euphoria to do away with the Provincial Administration. I think even in the proposed new Constitution, there was an indication that it should be scrapped. I am one of those people who opposed it. In 1970, as a District Officer (DO), I was sent to Kitui on a one-month assignment. I asked people whether there was any alternative to the Provincial Administration. I compiled a report, which must be lying somewhere at the Kenya Institute of Administration (KIA). They were unanimous that we cannot substitute it with any other system. If people were to be elected to lead provinces, we can imagine what would happen. If we cannot even agree in this House, we can imagine what a Provincial Commissioner (PC) who is elected would go through, arbitrating issues. Even the United States of America (USA) system took 200 years to be where it is. Maybe, one day, we shall be there. At the 2046 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 12, 2006 moment, there is need for us to strengthen the Office of the President and the Provincial Administration. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support."
}