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{
    "id": 386422,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/386422/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 122,
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    "content": "address emergencies. Year in, year out, will you be mitigating? Why would we want to spend our resources in mitigating floods and droughts without planning for long-term development? Fortunately, I think they have been combined now. That is the reason Ministries of Treasury and Planning have been merged. I stand to be corrected. This is the fortunate bit for Kenyans now. If they have been merged, they can coherently be merged and actually link up planning with resource availability. This is something that we have missed out in all successive governments before this particular one, although we have had some meaningful developments a few years back. Towards the end of the document, there are quite a number of proposals. One of them which I took exception to is the bit on legislation to ensure that no child misses school or a training institution until they reach the age of 18. A number of former legislators, particularly in the Eighth and Ninth Parliament are here. The Children Act is punitive in my own assessment. They say that if you do not take a child to school, you are liable for prosecution. A renowned lawyer, Sen. Kilonzo, advises me that it criminalizes parents. To an ordinary villager or a herder who has to travel 100 or 200 kilometres to get his child to school it is very punitive to say the least. In some instances, it is not the parent who is failing to actually take the child to school although it is mandatory to do so. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, what comes before legislation? We need to identify where the problem is. Some of them are social issues. Are we looking at them? So, I tend to think that some good work is being done, but done in the wrong way in some instances. As the Opposition, I must conclude my remarks. Personally, I am happy to be in the Opposition. I have served in the Government before and I am happy to serve on the Opposition bench. We will always be checking how the Jubilee Government leads the country. I am not saying that there is no good leadership, but there is a lot to be done. Those Senators who were trying to talk about elections, I think that is over. This country needs development, unity and cohesion. We are ready to support you so that we move ahead in terms of cohesion. But in terms of development and parity within our counties, there have been serious gaps. We are active and alert. We will keep this Government in check. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, although you saw me later, I appreciate the chance you have accorded me. Thank you very much."
}