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"id": 382410,
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"content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, to improve the security situation, we need to address not only roads, but also the communication path. This is because sometimes the incidents are such that we require people to be evacuated for medical treatment. So, we need to have proper airstrips at strategic locations. Then, we also need to have proper telecommunication. With the vastness of the area, sometimes an incident can occur and you get the information after a day or two, because you will require somebody to move either by road or on foot, to the nearest point where that information can be passed. By then, the incident will have occurred. If it is livestock theft, it will have occurred and the animals will have been taken away. So, the response will not be effective. The companies which provide mobile telephony services should be made to provide these services throughout the country. When somebody has a licence, then he should have that social responsibility also to cover all the parts of the country and not only where he thinks he can get some returns. That will improve security because information will be communicated quickly. As stated by the Senator for Turkana, it is costly to do a road in those areas, but if we have mobile telephones, I am sure that they will complement very well, because what is missing is that information. If we can get the information quickly, then the reaction will be faster. The roads are necessary because even if you get the information and you do not have roads, then you cannot also react to that information. The security roads should be done in such a way that they cut across the normal roads because in case of cattle rustling, the rustlers normally use a particular route because they are moving animals, so they have to pass where they can get water. If you check, cattle rustling is normally high during the rainy season because that time water is available everywhere. During the dry season, they have to go through particular routes. So, if we have roads done in a way whereby they cross the normal banditry routes, it would be easier to intercept them. That would discourage rustlers and would restore security. Madam Temporary Speaker, the other one is to involve communities in policing their areas. The Government should involve the local elders from the warring communities so that they can develop some relations between the communities to bring down incidents of insecurity. As you know, security officers who are posted to these areas are very few. A case was mentioned by the Senator for West Pokot whereby in a certain area there were only three officers. These officers cannot do anything to protect the local community, leave alone following the rustlers considering that the rustlers are as armed as they are and have the numbers. So, it would be of no use. So, the best thing would be to arm the local communities, that is, the Kenya Police Reservists. Right now, the problem we have with reservists is the kind of weapons they are carrying. You will find that a reservist is given a Second World War rifle while the bandits have automatic weapons. To make matters worse, you will find a reservist with only five bullets. These rifles are normally out of production so even getting bullets is a problem. When you go to the police, they will tell you that they do not have the bullets and cannot change the rifle for an automatic gun. So, you end up with a rifle which is of no use to you. So, they need to train and arm the reservist properly, and even give them incentives. They should get some stipend or pay just to motivate them so that they can also commit their time because this is somebody who has his own life to lead and his own animals to take care of. He will not be just there to provide security to the community but The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}