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{
    "id": 290474,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/290474/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 437,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Otichilo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 131,
        "legal_name": "Wilber Ottichilo Khasilwa",
        "slug": "wilber-ottichilo"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, secondly I wish to also thank the Minister for introducing another very important amendment and this is on the Kenya Information and Communications Act of 1998. Vandalism of telecommunication has become very rampant and as we all know, telecommunications has become a very important industry in this country. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is the one now that is driving this country. Most of the jobs that are being created today are through ICT and because this country has taken a very bold step to improve ICT through the internet and so on, we have many people who are sabotaging this very important endeavour by the Government, whereby people vandalize internet wires and equipment and even underwater cables so that sometimes we run short of having no internet because cables have been vandalized. So, I want to laud the Minister for bringing these amendments. However, I am not very happy when he says anybody who is caught vandalizing ICT equipment will be liable to a fine not exceeding Kshs10 million. I believe this is very lenient because if you say “liable to a fine not exceeding Kshs10 million”, the judge has latitude to fine this person anything. He can fine him even Kshs1,000 because it is under Kshs10 million. So, I wish to bring an amendment so that this fine is not less than Kshs10 million. This will give a very strong signal and message to these people who are vandalizing our internet facilities because this country without internet cannot create the jobs that are required. So, I wish to note that this is an amendment that should be brought to this Bill. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I am also very happy when it comes to amendment to the Energy Act of 2006. The Rural Electrification Authority (REA) has done a commendable job in distributing electricity throughout the whole country. For example in Emuhaya today, the coverage is now 92 per cent. However, the biggest problem is vandalism of transformers. All the time the transformers are put in place, immediately people come and vandalise them and, therefore, we have electricity all over the place but the transformers have been vandalized. The current fines to those who vandalize this equipment are very lenient. So, I am very happy that under this amendment, people who vandalize our electricity facilities particularly transformers will be liable to a conviction of life imprisonment. To me, this is good because this is an economic crime and this is what people have been doing with a lot of impunity. So, this is going to send a very strong message and particularly from the information I have and what we have had, the people who vandalize these transformers are the same contractors who are hired to put up the transmission lines and these transformers because an ordinary Kenyan cannot dare climb on an electric post and try to remove a transformer and remove that important oil that is in it. So, it is important that these people should be imprisoned for life. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I also want to agree with the earlier speakers particularly hon. Martha Karua as concerns the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission. This commission has been collecting information. They have collected enough information. They brought an amendment in this House for us to extend their time and we did and now they cannot come back again and ask for more time. So, I am saying that probably one month is adequate or even less because when they were collecting this information, if they were efficient they should have been writing the report at the same time. That is how report writing and consultancy is done. You do not collect information and then afterwards you sit down and then you start saying: “Now I want to write.” You do these things concurrently. So, I want to agree with the speaker’s earlier that this is important. Also, on the Political Parties Act, it is important that when we look at the process of recruitment of the Registrar of Parties and the assistant, I think it must be watertight to ensure that everything is done properly. I am also happy with the amendments on the Urban Areas and Cities Act of 2011. They have brought in a number of good amendments which make this Act very appropriate and will be used very well. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I also want to laud the Minister on the amendments he is bringing on Environment and Land Court Act of 2011. It is important that the definition of “environment” is in line with the Environment Management Coordination Act (EMCA) law because the definition that was provided in this Act is at variance with the one in EMCA. So, it is important that this is brought out clearly, so that the definition remains one."
}