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"id": 277651,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/277651/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Musyoka",
"speaker_title": "The Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs",
"speaker": {
"id": 188,
"legal_name": "Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka",
"slug": "kalonzo-musyoka"
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"content": " Yes, it is the Equalization Fund. Thank you very much. I stand guided and corrected again by my learned friend. The Equalization Fund is actually the same. The effect of it is stabilization of these regions. Therefore, the Equalization Fund is specifically provided for under the Constitution. I, therefore, want to urge that there be sobriety even as we look at this issue. We should not accept a situation where we see a part of this country coming up clearly even with a national flag of their own. I want to urge the media houses to also act in a patriotic manner. They should not highlight things that are clearly in derogation of the integrity of the nation-State. When I saw the other day groups being shown on our national television indicating--- You look at it and wonder: Is this the same country? I think it is important for us also from the point of view of the media to know that issues that are not in the best interest of the nation should not be given prominence and; particularly now that the President has specifically spoken, I want to urge that all and sundry stand properly guided on this matter. I want to urge hon. Members from the Coast region to stand firm and educate those who may be disadvantaged with regard to the knowledge of the Constitution to guide our people in the Coast region specifically so that we can carry everybody along. It is not that the Government wants to be difficult, but this is an issue over which there can be no negotiations. You cannot negotiate with people who claim not to be Kenyans in the first place. I, therefore, thank the President for that clarity of presentation. Of course, his legacy will be secured. It is clear to all of us that His Excellency the President, even as Mr. Speaker was able to observe in his welcoming remarks, has done a brilliant job when it comes to expansion of our infrastructure. Our road infrastructure is expanding, especially superhighways. Some of them are still under construction and others are yet to be undertaken. He was very clear that in terms of achieving Vision 2030, the next leadership of this country will have to be properly directed because the foundation stones have literally been laid. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to urge that even on the matter of the International Criminal Court (ICC) where the President feels it should not be politicized, it is a matter that we know goes to the very basis of who we are. Talking about the integrity of the nation-State we need to establish whether Kenyans will be comfortable having matters discussed out of this country or whether, indeed, we should not continue as His Excellency the President said, looking at all the options. I know that serious consultations are underway which will make it possible for us to have the local option. In fact, in this House, we missed that golden opportunity, but it is important for all of us to think backwards and take corrective action where we know it is in the best interest of this nation to have matters done locally. We need to, of course, take into account the need for national reconciliation and healing. On the matter of resettlement of evictees from Mau Forest and Embobut Forest as well as the victims of the post-election violence, money that has specifically been given was mentioned by the President in his Address. He talked about Kshs4.4 billion allocated to the Ministry of State for Special Programmes and another Kshs2.9. I want to believe that before the end of the next two to three months, we will be talking about everybody having been settled. In the last two days I had the privilege of visiting the Embobut evictees in Keiyo Marakwet County. I gave them the assurance because mothers came out and said: “You asked us to leave the forest which is what we have done. Look at us. Our children are having difficulties and some of us are catching pneumonia. You promised us resettlement and it has taken this long.” This was in hon. Linah Kilimo’s constituency. We gave them assurance because money has already been set aside for their resettlement. The Member for Rongai and others are really thinking of working with these communities in order to resettle them. I was able to see the recovery of Embobut Forest and I think the same is happening in Mau Forest. It behoves us to resettle them. However, we want to give assurance to the victims of the post-election violence. These are Kenyans who were uprooted from their own homes, or whatever they called “home”. We know the concept of home is a very important one to Kenyans. We want to assure them that we are thinking and we will continue to empathize with them. Very soon, they will all be able to be home. This is what the President’s message truly indicated. He, indeed, talked about matters of the environment. As I said, his statement was comprehensive. I want to invite the hon. colleagues to think along with His Excellency the President. For instance, he said that fish farming has picked up in this country. Many of us now have actually become fish farmers. He talked about the fact that three years ago we were talking about 4,000 tonnes of fish but it is now 20,000 tonnes. The other day I was seeing that there is a reduction of tilapia fish in Lake Victoria. Part of this has to do with pollution in the gulf countries. When there is pollution in our rivers the same gets transported through the rivers to Lake Victoria and this has the effect of denying oxygen to the fish. We then lose a lot of them. So, matters to do with the environment are also important."
}