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{
    "id": 326244,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/326244/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 398,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mrs. Odhiambo-Mabona",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 376,
        "legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
        "slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I just want to indicate that when I had started contributing in support of this Motion, I had indicated that I am writing a novel which is entitled; “Getting Lost with Freedom”, that speaks to a lot of things that this policy seeks to address. One of the things that I look at is that when you grow up and when you were younger there was a lot of hope for change and the transformation of this country. That was anchored on the fact that we had optimum population and the resources that were available could be properly utilised by the population. But when you look at the whole country now, smaller towns that we had hoped would grow into cities have now become shanties. The cities – and I do not even have words to describe them – are shanties. That is because we had not taken very seriously the issue of planning. We know that many planners will tell you: failing to plan is actually planning to fail. That is why I really want to congratulate the Minister for bringing this. Indeed, it is regrettable that it has taken two years between the lapse of the earlier policy and the one that the Minister is bringing. I would just encourage that because we are a country that is changing and there are a lot of reforms that are going on- -- I just want to say that there are a lot of reforms that are going on. We need to be up to speed with reforms and, indeed, use this policy to bring change. I want to indicate that I am very happy. If you see some of the items that are listed here, it is very mindful of the Millennium Development Goals and that it seeks eventually to realize some of those goals. Indeed, if you look at the first goal it is to eradicate extreme poverty. In this country, we have issues of extreme inequalities across the nation. If we are able to actually look at the country and certify the country in relation to poverty, then we will be able to free our resources so that we focus the resource to areas where they are most needed. I want to focus especially on the issue of child-led households, or older persons that are taking care of children that are orphaned, as a consequence especially of HIV/AIDS. I am also happy that it is cognisant of the issue of education which is also an MDG goal No.2 of achieving universal primary education. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the policy is also cognisant of the issue of gender equality and empowerment of women. Indeed, as hon. Prof. Anyang-Nyongo indicated, one of the greater things that we have to do as a country is to actualize Article 100 and other Articles that have to do with marginalized communities and marginalized groups and also actualizing the Equalization Fund so that we do not just have the population figures, really as cosmetic figures but to help us in dealing with the challenges that we are facing as a country. I am looking at the indicators. Even though there are some positive trends in terms of the indicators that are shown in the policy such as total fertility rate per 1000 live births that has improved. But if you look at some of the key indicators, the issue of life expectancy has gone down. Therefore, it actually shows that even though we might be saying we are doing well as a country in terms of controlling population, some of it is because life expectancy has gone"
}