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{
    "id": 301559,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/301559/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 251,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Eng. Rege",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 135,
        "legal_name": "James Kwanya Rege",
        "slug": "james-rege"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the principal objective of this Bill is to amend various laws that contain offences relating to protection of communication and energy apparatus from damage and vandalism so as to make the offences stiffer and thus deter vandalism of those apparatus. The Energy and Communications Law (Amendment) Bill, 2011 primarily seeks to recognize vandalism as an economic crime and for that matter, proposes stiffer penalties for those who are convicted of related crimes. The Bill has also introduced a new offence of severing with intent to steal in respect of telecommunications and energy apparatus to ensure that all those who are guilty are dealt with according to the law. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, further, the new Bill proposes amendments to the Scrap Metal Act, Cap. 503, which will obligate scrap metal dealers to seek licences before they are allowed to operate. Obviously, we all know that once vandalism takes place, all the vandalized goods end up in the scrap metal market. Indeed, it is the unregulated scrap metal industry which is fuelling the demand for copper wires, transformer oil, metal and iron materials. If we deal with this, 20 per cent of the problem will be blocked. We will be left with the vandals who comprise 20 per cent of the problem. This can be dealt with by stiffer penalties being introduced by the Bill."
}