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{
    "id": 382875,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/382875/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 44,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Musila",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 94,
        "legal_name": "David Musila",
        "slug": "david-musila"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I support this Motion and congratulate my brother, Sen. Muthama of Machakos, for bringing this timely Motion. The pollution of rivers that has been mentioned in the Motion; mainly, Tana and Athi rivers has been going on for a long time. However, it has reached a point where we must raise the red flag. Our people are dying of a new disease called cancer. Previously, you could hardly hear of cancer cases. However, today, you will only hear of cancer everywhere. When you attend funerals in the part of the world that we come from, particularly, south of Nairobi, where people use water from Athi River and Tana River, you will hear that the cause of their deaths is mostly cancer. We have no doubt in our minds that this cancer is as a result of the water that people are using in these rivers, obviously, because of the pollution that has been going on. This has moved to a stage where as we develop our industries in our cities, they are discharging industrial waste into these rivers without any control, supervision or treatment. The result has been serious negative effects on people’s health. I support my colleagues who have said that it is not only the two rivers that are polluted. At the appropriate time, an amendment will be made to include other rivers because I know for certain, that it is not only the two rivers that are polluted. However, I know that Athi River is more polluted than any other river that I know of in this country. We also have other rivers that are polluted by industrial and solid wastes. That is why diseases which were not known in this country are so much on the increase. The Government’s response in controlling pollution has been wanting. People are building industries and directing industrial waste into rivers without any control whatsoever. This is despite the fact that we have an organization called National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). This organisation is a toothless bulldog. It is doing nothing and industrialists have a field day. While flying over Nairobi recently, I noticed that human settlements are cropping up along all the streams of Nairobi River. One wonders where the solid waste of these settlements is discharged. It is always discharged in rivers. How long are we going to be irresponsible to allow our rivers to be polluted? When you go down there, due to scarcity of water, you will find that, that is the water that our people drink. Some of it is even drunk raw. You can imagine the kind of damage to health that is taking place. Although we are talking about rivers, we can also talk about other waters like the Indian Ocean. Recently, we were in Mombasa. As you enter the City of Mombasa, you will be greeted by a foul smell. I am sure my colleagues can attest to that. This foul smell comes from the waste that is dumped into the sea. You will be greeted by this foul smell 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."
}