Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 320978,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/320978/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 440,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "We have heard a sad story of not taking care of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs); of not taking care to prevent incidents leading to people becoming IDPs. We have various categories of displaced persons and our narrow view has tended to be victims of clashes. But this Bill is introducing a very comprehensive way of looking at IDPs. These are not only those who are avoiding effects of armed conflicts. It is also those who have been displaced by large development plans. We have seen people in the City of Nairobi and in other places in Kenya being displaced in a most inhumane manner to give way to developments. These people are now being catered for by this Bill. Incidents like the Mau evictees; all those incidents where the Government displaces people for good cause, this Bill is providing a guide on how to deal with and protect the persons affected. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am particularly happy with Clause 3 of the Bill which is incorporating the provisions of the Great Lakes Protocol and also the provisions of the guiding priniciples. This Bill is incorporating both the UN Convention and the Great Lakes Protocol on displaced persons. These are the standards that we have not been having. In the recent past after the Government got tired of the IDPs, they cut off supplies of food and medicine. When the IDPs raised their voices, they were called fake IDPs. I think this Bill will guide us on how to deal with them. It becomes the responsibility of the State, both the national and the county governments, to ensure that those who are internally displaced live in conditions that are humane and that their needs are catered for from medical, food to shelter. This indeed is good. Although we must say that, yes, the Government did try to do its best initially, but prolonging resettlement of the diplaced is a very great injustice and this is something we have been unable to avoid. I want to commend once again the Mover of the Motion. They are helping us as an institution, as Parliament to discharge our responsibility to the people of Kenya to provide a legal guideline on how to deal with the IDPs. This will help us to complete the resettlement. It will help us to focus on all categories of IDPs. It will also help us to focus on the integrated IDPs who have been largely ignored. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir the problem of IDPs is largely in the Rift Valley, Nyanza in relation to the integrated, in Central Kenya in relation to the integrated and now in Nairobi, in parts of Coast Province, in North Eastern Province. Shall I say this problem is countrywide? So, it is time we had a legal framework to avoid any discrimination. I am also happy that it is giving a guideline on how to administratively go about administering the fund and dealing with the IDPs. We are aware of the governance challenges that have attended the resettlement of IDPs with a lot of money being siphoned by those in authority and very little done by way of prosecution. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in conclusion, this legislation is telling us, as Kenyans, to wake up and be proactive and not reactive. It is telling us to put measures in place to prevent occurrence of displacements of this nature and for reconciliation. We all know that we have failed, as leaders. Both the Executive and Parliament, we have not really put our time and money in efforts to reconcile Kenyans and ensure that future displacements of people do not occur."
}