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{
"id": 243944,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/243944/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Khalwale",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for East African Community",
"speaker": {
"id": 170,
"legal_name": "Bonny Khalwale",
"slug": "bonny-khalwale"
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"content": "Internationally, Kenya is classified as an insecure State. That is why unknown to us, whenever tourists travel from the UK and US to this country, they are normally given \"quiet\" travel advisories, purely because of the rate of urban crime, which is a serious problem in Kenya. In the entire East African Community, investors are seriously guided by the rate of urban crime in terms of investing in East Africa. Given that we face competition from Tanzania, Uganda and very soon, Rwanda and Burundi, over 70 per cent of the investors who want to invest in Kenya cite fear of urban crime as the reason they are hesitating to invest in Kenya. When you go to Uganda, the fear is not that big; only at 27 per cent; while in Tanzania it is only at 25 per cent. There is room for the Minister to pull up his socks and ensure that these figures are reduced for us to reap from the open market that we have created in East Africa. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am reminded that in 2005, the UNDP actually funded a project which was initiated by the Nairobi City Council. This project was deliberately meant to address the issue of urban crime in this country. Probably, when we shall be coming to the Vote of the Ministry of Local Government, both hon. Michuki and hon. Kombo should tell Kenyans what was the blue print of that particular project. How much money was involved? What were the actual projects and activities that were funded by UNDP? What were the successes? We are tired of seeing not just ordinary Kenyans, but also Ministers, being harassed by criminals on our 1968 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 11, 2006 streets. It is important that we open up Nairobi at night so that business can take place for 24 hours the way we see it in other major cities like Hong Kong. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in East Africa, Kenya is rated very badly in terms of arms trafficking. In fact, in the entire East Africa where we find around 3.2 million illicit arms, majority of these arms are in the hands of Kenyans. It is time the Ministry in charge of security actually focused on certain notorious areas in Nairobi, for example, Eastleigh. What is wrong with the Minister carrying out a special raid on such places so as to ensure that illicit weapons are removed? When you focus on certain housing areas in Nairobi, you will find that where you find weapons is where you find illicit drugs. Places like Muthurwa, Landhies and Nairobi South C are notorious. In Nairobi South C, for example, majority of the tenants there are single ladies with Nigerian boyfriends. If we carried out a swoop in those places, we would rid this country of serious drug trafficking cartels. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to emphasise that the urban crime that I am talking about is the one that is most dangerous because it discourages investors. In the rural areas, the Provincial Administrataion is most visible. Programmes which include metropolitan police should be promoted to ensure that much as the Provincial Administration is successful in the rural areas, it should also be successful in the urban areas. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to appeal to Hon. Members to ask themselves what roles they are playing in terms of promoting security in this country. I am reminded of three cases where Hon. Members were found in public carrying large amounts of money. Two Members of Parliament were reported carrying Kshs1 million in their handbags in Kisumu. When Hon. Kituyi was carjacked recently, he was found with a whooping Kshs300,000. This is a habit that is actually attracting crooks to attack us. Why should one walk with Kshs1 million in a bag when you can access it through ATM machines and so on?"
}