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"id": 243939,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Lesrima",
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"speaker": {
"id": 178,
"legal_name": "Simon Saimanga Lesirma",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I also stand to support this Ministry's Budget. I come from a very insecure area and I have no choice but to support this Vote. My constituents have been living under terror. Since 28th March, 2006, we have been attacked by criminals from a neighbouring constituency 43 times. We have lost many lives. About ten schools have been closed and some will never be opened. Agricultural activities have been suspended. Refugees have now moved to urban centres. So, in many ways, development has been suspended. However, I have to thank this Ministry under the leadership of Mr. Michuki for the support it has given my constituents during those hard times. I have to commend police officers for doing a good job and protecting our people. I must take this opportunity to condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the continuous killing of police officers in the course of their duty with impunity. In the year 2004, we lost an Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) in Samburu District. The 1966 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 11, 2006 culprits are yet to be traced. There is no indication that the culprits are being hunted down and yet, we know where they are. In deed, they have been elevated to statesmen in their communities. Two weeks ago, an Administration Police officer was killed in my constituency at 8.00 p.m. and neither cattle nor property was stolen. He was just killed in cold blood. A General Service Unit (GSU) officer was also killed in the neighbouring Laikipia Constituency and, up to now, there is no indication that the Government is keenly following up the people who have been killing police officers. Once you reach a stage where police officers are being killed with impunity and no action is taken, those are signs of a collapsing State. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me talk about the Budget. I want to commend the Minister for increasing salaries and allowances for police officers. I notice that in the 2007/2008 Budget, there wil be an improvement in the salaries of administration police officers. However, there are certain services which have been neglected for a very long time. I have in mind the Police Dog Unit. Those are extremely useful services but, when you look at the provisions, they are extremely marginal. Those services should be expanded and decentralised. Those dogs serve a very useful purpose. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, again, with regard to the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), there is very little increase in this area. I am very much concerned because that is the main activity taking place in my area. It is almost like an industry. I want to say that ASTU should be decentralised and located between the communities that are engaged in that activity. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I urge the Government not to deploy the military in cattle rustling related activities. I believe that the role of the military in those areas should be to develop infrastructure. They should help in building roads and providing water. We have, in deed, given our recommendations as to what activities the military should engage in, in the North Rift. When you look at the Budget for the Office of the President, there is no provision for civil activities by the military. The Minister should look at that. The role of the military should also be to protect the country's boundaries and external deployment by the United Nations (UN) in peace keeping missions. They have performed that task very well over the years. So, we should not involve the military in activities such as disarmament. That should be done by the police. We need to support the Provincial Adminstration at the local level. Certain provinces, such as Rift Valley Province, are huge. The Provincial Commissioner, Rift Valley Province, is in charge of a province that extends from Lokichoggio to Loitokitok. Unless he has an helicopter, I cannot see how he can supervise the activities in that province. That will not only help him in his day to day work, but also attend to Ministers who frequently visit the district. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, district officers (DOs) do not have vehicles. We have six divisions in my district and not a single DO has a vehicle. Now that the Government is taking away vehicles from Ministers and Permanent Secretaries, some 4WD vehicles can be given to the Provincial Adminstration. Chiefs also require offices and radio communication. The District Commissioners (DCs) perform a very important function. I am glad to note that they have recently been given back their work of coordinating district departmental activities through District Development Committees (DDCs), district steering group meetings and leaders meetings. But, when you look at the Budget, you do not see any provision for facilitation. You have chiefs coming to a leaders meeting in a district like Turkana which is 75,000 square kilometres, or Marsabit District which is 69,000 square kilometres."
}