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{
    "id": 255667,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/255667/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 332,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kosgey",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 177,
        "legal_name": "Henry Kiprono Kosgey",
        "slug": "henry-kosgey"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this very important Motion on the Presidential Address. Right from the outset, I would like to say that the purpose of any Government is to protect the lives and property of its people. That is, indeed, a cardinal purpose. If a Government fails to protect the lives and property of its citizens, then, it has lost the moral authority to govern the people who have elected it. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on Wednesday, 22nd March, 2006 and Thursday, 23rd March, 2006, officers of this Government, that is, the Administration Police and the forest guards descended upon the people of Ng'atikong living in Kipkurere Forest and meted out on them a barbaric and primitive act by burning and looting their property in the name of protecting forests. The people of Ng'atikong have lived in Kipkurere Forest since the early 1940s. I am not talking about the whole of Kipkurere Forest, rather it is about a very small portion of it which is inhabited by 250 families. Quite a large number of these families belong to the Ogiek community who have remained marginalised in this country even by this Government. The Administration Police officers came one evening, burnt down houses and anything that could catch fire including livestock. They burnt a calf which is an innocent animal yet this Government describes itself as one that cares for the well being and welfare of the people. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are experiencing hunger caused by drought in this country and yet this Government went to an area and burnt food creating turmoil and desperation. I submit that this Government has lost the moral authority to govern if it cannot protect our people. The Government moved into an area where people have stayed for the last 70 years in the name of protecting a forest. I am not talking of the whole forest. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if you look at the whole of Kipkurere Forest, there are large areas which have been used as farms by the forest officers in order to protect their farming activities around Kipkurere Forest Station and they would target the people of Ng'atikong and say: \"These people must be evicted.\" They are not the cause of the destruction of the forest. The Government did recognise that these people exist and gave them a very small portion to occupy. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the policy of evicting people mercilessly must be stopped. There must be guidelines on how to evict people. You cannot go to an area and tell people to move out and yet they have occupied that land for 70 years without providing an alternative. If the Government wants to use an area for afforestation or any other purpose, it must provide alternative settlement land before moving people. You cannot just go out and burn houses and property because you want to create havoc. We have seen houses being burnt in areas like Likia and Mau 130 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES March 28, 2006 Narok. Why are we still burning property? Why is there no fire in Central Province and Eastern Province? Is this fire only found in Rift Valley or are we being targeted for reasons which are very well known?"
}