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{
    "id": 398743,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/398743/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 19,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13156,
        "legal_name": "Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
        "slug": "mutula-kilonzo-jnr"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise to second this Motion by Sen. Kittony. Under the Fourth Schedule, one of the obligations of county governments, and I would like to refer to it for purposes of the HANSARD, Article 10 says that the county governments are under obligation to implement specific national government policies on natural resources and environmental conservation which includes soil and water conservation. Mr. Speaker, Sir, although the Constitution and its framers had envisioned that county governments would implement national policy with regard to water conservation, I am not certain that there is a deliberate policy on water conservation, as a result of which we are actually starring at a disaster in many ways. After the reclamation of the Mau Forest, we now have a natural disaster in Baringo where the lake has overflowed its banks and houses have been covered by water, necessitating people to vacate their homes. This demonstrates that there is so much water and we do not know what to do with it. This just demonstrates that although we wanted to conserve the forest, we did not think beyond the conservation of that forest as a result of which we now have so much water. The other day, I had the privilege, courtesy of Sen. Orengo, to travel to Siaya. As we were airborne, I realized there is no reason this country has a problem with food because there is so much water in Trans Nzoia and other places. However, this water is flowing all the way to Egypt. We are not making use of Lake Victoria. There is no meaningful agriculture being carried out by the people around this lake. This water is not being harnessed or used to serve the community. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there is also a problem because although the Transition Authority (TA) has devolved some functions with regard to county governments, they have not given the functions of managing of forests to counties. There is confusion that counties are managing their functions without managing water resources. This is because the Government does not have a policy. If you cannot manage the forests, you cannot manage the water sources. Mr. Speaker, Sir, Makueni County is one of those counties which are tremendously disadvantaged. There is a place called Mutembuku in Makueni which borders Kitui and Makueni. It would surprise you that these people have not seen rain in the last four or five years. The interesting thing about Mutembuku which is in Makueni/Kitui is that Athi River passes through that area. It is a fallacy for people to ask for rain yet there is water, and rain amounts to water. The Government is watching as these people are suffering and nothing is happening. In our County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) in Makueni, there is a programme for constructing a dam between Athi River and Thwake. The cost of that project is Kshs32 billion. As we wait for the national Government to provide funds and provide donors for this particular facility, water is being wasted. The water is being drained into the Indian Ocean. It is not helping the people of Makueni. If there was a policy for water conservation in the country, it would be possible that the people of 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."
}