HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 254103,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/254103/?format=api",
"text_counter": 120,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Prof. Kibwana",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Environment and Natural Resources",
"speaker": {
"id": 277,
"legal_name": "Kibwana Kivutha",
"slug": "kibwana-kivutha"
},
"content": " Thank you very much, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the President's Speech. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, my first point, and my colleagues have mentioned it, regards the Bills that were brought for enactment. Out of the 25 Bills that were brought to this House, only seven were enacted. That is a very dismal performance. I think time has come for Parliament to have a performance contract. Currently, only Permanent Secretaries and those below them have signed performance contracts. Therefore, they are doing what is expected of them. Therefore, in order to cure that problem of under-performance by Parliament, it is necessary to develop a performance contract. That way, in the area of legislation, it will be possible to promise Kenyans what we can achieve. The relevant Committees can look into that matter. We can be predictable. We can agree on the number of legislations to be passed within a certain time, so long as there is a contract between us and the voters. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is one issue that both sides of the House have repeatedly discussed; disunity among the political elite. In most democracies, it is elementary for the political class to be united. That is because, apart from being in the Government or in the Opposition, we should get united in order to harness the energies of our people towards achieving 342 PARLIMENTARY DEBATES April 5, 2006 our national interests and development. However, it is unfortunate because Members of the Opposition are hatching different schemes every day to keep us following issues that are of no consequence. Those issues consume our energies as the time ticks. We should, as a responsible political elite, pull our forces together, so that our people can live better lives. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in his Speech, the President was very emphatic on the role of the youth. When the Ministry of Youth was being launched - and I had the benefit of being there - I heard the President talk very eloquently about 70 per cent or so Kenyans, who are below 35 years, being accommodated within our system. I think that, instead of blaming each other on what has been done for the youth, we should adopt a bi-partisan approach. We want youth affairs to be main-streamed in every Ministry. It is not easy to do positive things that would make the youth feel part of this country. For example, we can have internships in the private sector and all Ministries for youths who have finished Form IV, university or colleges to be incorporated. They can learn to work in those places while getting a small allowance. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is possible to incorporate many youths in the Ministry of Roads and Public Works, so that they can become part and parcel of its programmes. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am looking forward to the discussion on the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) because we will amend the CDF laws so that monies are set aside for the youth. So, it is my suggestion that during this Session we are really going to debate matters relating to the youth from the Floor of this House. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the President talked about a new Constitution because Kenyans want a new constitutional dispensation. It is unfortunate that after the new proposed Constitution was defeated, some hon. Members are now bringing exact piecemeal constitutional amendments like those that were contained in the draft constitution. The best way of handling the Constitution is not to emphasise piecemeal amendments to it but to actually look at the Constitution in a comprehensive way. The starting point is for the entire country to engage the Committee of Eminent Persons so that we can get a credible formula for moving forward. The Government should be a mere facilitator but Kenyans should make decisions on what kind of Constitution they want. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also want to contribute in terms of the environment. Recently, I visited Brazil where 60 per cent of the country consists of forests. They have rain very regularly because of the way in which they conserve their forests. It is really very unfortunate that some of our leaders encourage people to go and destroy forests, leading to drought, famine and environmental destruction. I appeal to Parliamentarians to help the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources by talking with their people who are living in forests to vacate them. There are places like road reserves where you will find forests, but when you go inside, you discover that the forests have been destroyed. So, I will be talking with hon. Members of Parliament so that we are able to inform our people who are living in forests to desist from doing so. On the contrary, we should also begin budgeting for money so that we buy land to plant forests. By doing so, our forest cover, which is about 1.7 per cent can come to the acceptable 10 per cent. If we do this, we will be going towards the direction of Brazil where more than half of the country consists of forests. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in his Speech, the President also emphasised about regional integration and it is good that, currently, in Arusha, there are discussions on the East African Community. This is the way forward for the future. The future is about us being one country in East Africa. We need to emphasise that businessmen, local communities, civil society and political class should be mobilised so that we build a robust East African Community. Of course, very soon we shall again be suggesting which name will go to the East African Parliament and, therefore, we require to make the community as robust as possible. April 5, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 343 Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, finally, in areas where there is a problem of water like Ukambani and so on, we need to put in a lot of money, like Kshs1 billion in this budget, so that we can have an affirmative action for them. Thank you very much, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir."
}