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"id": 32720,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. ole Lankas",
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"legal_name": "Lankas ole Nkoidila",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I wish also to support this Motion. The issue before us is an environmental issue. It is a very critical issue. This issue reminds me of the debates that took place in this House when we were discussing the issue of the Mau Complex because that was equally an environmental issue. We are at a time when we are discussing drought in this country. Yesterday, we took our time off to discuss drought in this country. I have had the luck of serving in this part of the country at one time so I really appreciate and understand the situation of this area of Turkana, especially the lake. When you are talking of any threat to this very important natural resource, Lake Turkana, I understand the threat on the livelihoods that entirely depend on it. We have been told, and it is true, that many lives are threatened. If this lake is threatened, then many livelihoods are threatened. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, Dr. Otichilo, the Mover of this Motion, put the figure at 300,000 whose livelihoods are going to be threatened as a result of the threat facing this lake. When we were talking about the Mau, we were talking about 3 million people whose livelihoods were going to be threatened. I wanted the Minister for Wildlife and Forestry to be here, but unfortunately he has left. The passion with which he was addressing this issue is the same passion with which we were trying to address the Mau Forest issue. It is not that we do not have reasons for arguing about some of these issues, but it has been said that we must save this lake. By saving this lake, we are not only talking about the Turkana region but we are talking about six communities that directly depend on this lake for survival. Indirectly, we are talking of the whole of this country, Kenya. We are also talking about the larger eastern region of this country. We should not narrow it to appear like we are talking about one or two districts in the northern part of this country. We are talking about our country. This country is ailing and this is the more reason I wanted to contribute to this Motion. When we discussed about saving the Mau, for obvious reasons like the ones we are advancing here today, the task force report was adopted by this House. Recommendations were made, but as I stand here, nothing has happened. Politics has taken over the importance of Kenyan lives. We tend to concentrate more on politics than addressing the welfare of our people. Even the issue that we are addressing here today of Lake Turkana and the Gibe Dam is the same issue. We are addressing a very serious issue that if not addressed seriously the long-term effects are going to be felt by generations to come. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are telling the Government - I am happy the Minister is here - that we must act and act now because this is the welfare and the livelihood of Kenyans that is at stake at this point in time. We should not let politics take over. Today, we are giving the reasons why we must save this lake, but after this, nothing will happen. Sometimes you wonder what the use of bringing some of these Motions here is, when it is not going to be implemented by the relevant authorities. I want to repeat that some of us are really frustrated because of the kind of politics that we are playing in this country. The issue that is before us is so critical. It is a socio-economic issue that we need to address. If you visit that part of the country, the people surrounding the lake entirely depend on it. To them, this lake is a giver of life. In fact, I think it is even culturally worshipped because of its central importance to the existence of live in that part of the country. Therefore, any threat to this resource is a threat to all of us and we must take it with the seriousness it deserves. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are international protocols and treaties that Kenya is a signatory to. We know that the source of this big River Omo is in Ethiopia or beyond, but we should not let Ethiopia run away with it just because the river originates from that part of the world. We must protect it. We have a right to this resource and that is why we are saying that the issue must be taken with the seriousness it deserves. There is perennial food shortage in Turkana District. It is known. When we interfere with the little that they have - I have this lake in mind - then we are killing the source of lives of these people. This is also a very sensitive issue as has been said. Conflicts around that part of the world are over resources and one of the resources is water. There is a critical water shortage in that region. The only source of water is this lake. If it is threatened, then definitely, there is going to be conflict, which can go to any extent. To avoid all this, there is need for wide consultations between the two governments and even the international community, so that this problem is addressed to favour all of us and not one part of the world gaining and another one suffering. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}