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"speaker_name": "Mr. Ahenda",
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"legal_name": "Paddy Ahenda",
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"content": "Thank you very much, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I was just thanking you for, at least, catching your eye. First of all, I want to also thank hon. Lesrima for bringing this Motion. This is not the first time I have heard about insecurity in North Eastern Province. As many of my colleagues have said, the main reason for insecurity within the region is poverty. As the saying goes, charity begins at home. I would like to appeal to my colleagues, particularly those ones from the ASAL areas, to lead by example, by investing in those areas. I am aware that several people from ASAL areas have invested millions of shillings in Nairobi, particularly in Eastleigh. These people can sink boreholes in their areas to supplement Government efforts. This will avert the current conflict over water in those areas. I also agree with my colleagues that the army should be deployed to those areas to protect our people and their property. Recently, I read an article about the American border between the USA and Mexico, where the Americans are putting up a wall. The money we lost in the Anglo Leasing and Finance scandal is enough to put up a wall between Ethiopia and Kenya up to the Somali border. It is enough to erect a wall between Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. Kenya can also put up that wall to safeguard our people once and for all. Let those people live in peace, at least, for one year, and you will see more development in those areas. April 19, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 591 Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, one of the things that those people are fighting for is cattle. We need to have a market for the cattle. There are markets in Nairobi and other areas. For those people to bring their cattle to those areas, the Government must repair the roads. The roads are in such a dilapidated state that the cattle cannot be taken to the market. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, armies from developed nations, like the British and American armies, have come to this country many times. They practise in those areas. But the Kenya Army, on the other hand, practise their shooting range in Athi River. Why can they not go and do those exercises in those areas like the British and American armies? By doing that, they will be keeping peace within the regions that those bandits operate. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is said that peace is the absence of war. Insecurity is the presence of banditry and hooliganism. If we can only contain the bandits and hooligans operating in those areas, we shall live in peace. Insecurity will be gone! Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, last week was my first time to visit Marsabit. I went to bury my colleagues. May their souls rest in peace. I was perplexed to fly over vast areas of lands which are not inhabited at all. Whenever I looked down, what I could see were only camels. I could not even see the people herding them. When we finally touched down, what I could see were people herding camels with guns on their backs. It is pathetic that such things still exist. We have been disarming those people and re-arming them to fight. We give local people arms to fight well trained armies that are coming from across the borders. We were also told that the roads from Addis-Ababa to the Kenyan border are as smooth as those in Kenyan cities. Then, on coming to the Kenyan side of the border, you will find no roads at all. That is one of the causes of insecurity within that region. Could the Government pump in more money to open up the road to Ethiopia? By doing that, trade between the two countries will flourish. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}