HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 243958,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/243958/?format=api",
"text_counter": 284,
"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": " The Minister and all his officers, who are present here do not listen to our cries. How do you expect chiefs who go without their pay for months to be motivated? When hon. Michuki was appointed to run this Ministry, we were happy because we knew the good work he did in the transport sector. If he can control Matatus, why should he not ask his DCs to make sure that chiefs live in their locations and work? He should make surprise visits to their locations to see for himself whether they actually live and work there. I know we have allocated enough money to this Ministry but its problem is lack of co-ordination. If you go to Harambee House, you will see on its wall the writing: \"The Office of the President is there to co-ordinate and provide leadership\". We should translate that mandate into reality. Chiefs are told to hold four Barazas in a month but they do not do that. If an hon. Member says a chief is not available at his location, no action is taken. If you provide incentives for no action, there will continue to be no action. If you do not provide incentives for lack of action, then there will be action. It is as simple as that. In Turkana District justice is for hire. If you report a crime the police will demand a bribe from you. When somebody reports a crime, the police will be the first people to purport to be looking for the criminals. However, the same police officers will also demand money from the suspected criminals so that they are not booked in. Even when we intervene as Ministers of Government, nothing much is done. Some police officers even brag that there is nothing that we can do to them. They tell us: \"You will serve your term and go, but we are here to stay\". Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the NARC Government came into power on a reform agenda, therefore, things should not be business as usual. I have always listened to His Excellency the President. He has always urged us to transact Government business with some sense of urgency. However, I really wonder if that message is extended by the senior officers in Harambee House to their juniors. A lot of work still needs to be done and action must, therefore, be taken. I have good examples to give from my constituency: We lost a NARC agent during the last elections - I have repeated that story in this House and I will do so until justice is done. We are now approaching the 2007 General Elections, and yet the perpetrators of that heinous crime are yet to be arrested. Can we really be happy about that? Again, a man was murdered in public. Do you expect July 11, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1973 us to be happy? The people who were involved in the crimes seem to have bribed their way out because their cases are being delayed. We are proud of this Government and we really want to serve it. However, when I see what is obtaining on the ground, I get very ashamed. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, pensioners are suffering. At the end of every month, you will find so many pensioners lining up at the DC's office. This is because somebody in that office has not taken his work seriously or he or she has eaten the money belonging to the pensioners. The officers there give all sorts of pretexts for the pension not being available. Who is overseeing these things in the Office of the President? He or she is supposed to ensure that services are rendered. With regard to Kenya Police Reservists (KPR), while I recognise that the Government may not be in a position to deploy enough police officers in some parts of this country, I wonder why it cannot employ sufficient police reservists to assist the police. The Government has now embarked on a disarmament programme. I have been on record with regard to this matter and I would like to repeat it here: That the disarmament programme will serve no purpose. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, previous Governments have done over 24 disarmament operations in this country, but they all came to nought. If anything, guns are increasing in numbers. Surely, you do not need rocket science knowledge to know that something does not work. If whatever you want to reduce is increasing, then you must get an alternative. Our recommendation, as leaders from the affected areas, has always been that the Government identifies the illegal guns. Uganda has been able to do that. All we need to do is to register those guns. The Government is spending a lot of money in mopping up the illegal guns. Why do we not register the guns that people already have? If we do that, we shall be able to boost patrols by the local people in an effort to curb invasions. Also, we need to give these people who have illegal guns incentives so that they can own up. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support the Motion."
}