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{
    "id": 365952,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/365952/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 247,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Kihagi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2481,
        "legal_name": "John Karanja Kihagi",
        "slug": "john-karanja-kihagi"
    },
    "content": "I come from a constituency which is largely ASAL within a county which is agriculturally productive. Therefore, my constituency is totally disadvantaged in that it is not classified by the relevant Ministry as an ASAL area. In Nakuru County, Njoro, Molo and Kuresoi are highly productive agricultural areas. However, as you move from what even hon. (Dr). Shaban talked about; there are areas which are dry. If you move to the lower side of Mai Mahiu, Longonot, Suswa and Gilgil, you pass through an expansive area of dry land, which is not recognised as an ASAL area just because we belong to the larger Nakuru County. There lies the discrimination that could have prompted some of us to oppose the Motion but, understanding that this is a progressive nation, I want to support this Motion with the full knowledge that the girl child is disadvantaged. The girl child is vulnerable in all circumstances and more so those found in ASAL areas. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to congratulate the lady hon. Members who have endured the hostile environment occasioned by the aridity of the areas in which they were brought up. For them to have made it to this august House is testimony that women are a lot that can persevere. There is need to empower women in this country. We stand to gain as a nation by empowering the woman. As I started my campaigns in 2011, I visited a part of my constituency, which is mainly inhabited by pastoralists – members of the Maasai community. When I went there, I looked at the enrolment and I saw clearly that the numbers of male and female pupils who joined Standard One were almost equal. However, I realised that as the children progressed in their education towards Standard Eight, only about three or four of the girls who would enrol in Standard One would still be in school. When I discussed this matter with the school committee, it emerged that the girl child in that community does not have any vision beyond Standard Eight and, therefore, it was deemed unnecessary for girls to proceed with education up to Standard Eight. By the time the girl child attained the age of 15, the only option for her was to get married. I am happy to say that I challenged the community and we started a secondary school, which now has about 34 students, half of whom are female. I agree with everybody that if girls were encouraged to go to boarding schools, we would have a better transition from primary to secondary school and most of them would access college education for the betterment of the community. An issue was also raised in this House yesterday regarding the responsibility of parents. I want to expand this to include teachers. Teachers, especially head teachers, have to go back to being managers. We visited institutions in this country which we believed could be better managed if the teachers were a bit more innovative. Teachers should encourage and challenge the"
}