HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 398745,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/398745/?format=api",
"text_counter": 21,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Makueni would not suffer. The methods of irrigation like drip irrigation are foreign concepts in places like Makueni, Kitui and Machakos. There are places in this country which do not have consisted rainfall are disadvantaged by the fact that there is no policy on water conservation in any form. This Motion is important so that we, as a country, can move to where Uganda is. Uganda is self-sustaining in terms of food. We possibly have better land, more water resources and so on, but every now and then, we have to declare a national disaster because people are suffering in Turkana County and other places. It is in the public domain that water was discovered in Turkana County. What are we doing as a country to ensure that the people of Turkana County can harness this water and use it for agriculture? Sooner rather than later, we are going to have a policy. We are going to see everybody running around, from pillar to post, attempting to help the people of Turkana County. This happens because we do not have a policy. We are moving into very dangerous territory. It is in the public domain that, possibly, the World War III will be over water resource. So, if this Senate does not compel this Government to formulate a policy now, we are starring at a disaster in future. Because of the El Nino and La Nina phenomenon, we cannot wait for the long or short rains because they are not longer consistent. So, when we have rains, we should harness the water to get water for drinking and farming. More importantly, where there is a lot of water, it can be used for electricity generation and other income generating activities for the 47 counties. This Motion, therefore, is timely and urgent. I am not certain whether we have a method of following up important Motion we pass here, so that it does not go to gather dust in the shelves and the library of the Senate without being implemented. We have passed very important Motions here, but nothing has happened about them. We should have a method of following up so that this Senate, under the Constitution, can form precedence as the Senate that helped this country, not only in making good laws, but helping this country in terms of devolution. The country is supposed to move forward and transform the lives of Kenyans. Water does not discriminate in terms of tribe, colour or political parties. We will set precedence that we were thinking about the people of Kenya in terms of their welfare. I, therefore, urge this Senate and fellow Senators to debate this matter seriously so that we resolve this issue, once and for all. This matter is even more urgent because there is a dispute of water between Kajiado and Makueni counties. We have water flowing down from Mt. Kilimanjaro. However, the people of Sultan Hamud are suffering because some people along this pipeline use it for their own purposes. So, if we do not resolve issues to do with water now, in future, we will be called upon to resolve many wars among counties. I dare say that the problems you see in Kitui, Baragoi, Tana River and Turkana are because of resources. One of the most important resources is water. This matter involves the security of our nation because people have died fighting over water resources. With those few remarks, I stand to support and second this Motion by Sen. Kittony. 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."
}