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{
    "id": 421923,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/421923/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 240,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mwakulegwa",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 101,
        "legal_name": "Danson Mwazo Mwakulegwa",
        "slug": "danson-mwazo"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I would like to congratulate the Mover of this Motion for having brought it to the House, because insecurity impacts on any development in the country and, therefore, it is important, urgent and strategic for the country to deploy new strategic ways of combating insecurity. We should look at every sector because it is not only terrorism or cattle rustling; we need to have security in every sector. Therefore we call upon the Government of the day to provide security because it is one of its key principles and responsibilities. We therefore call upon them to actually review the security strategy so that they can be able to provide security in every area. It is not only in the urban centres; we also have insecurity in the rural areas, for example, West Pokot, Turkana and parts of Tana River. These are areas where insecurity is thriving. Apart from this committee, we should increase accountability. We usually allocate a lot of money to our security agencies but we are told that we cannot discuss their budget or examine what they do with their money. It is high time we changed that so that the security agencies and the money given to them are actually checked by Parliament so that we can know for sure whether the money that is allocated to them goes to good use. It is sad when we allocate a lot of money and then we are told that the police do not have the proper and enough equipment. Where does that money go to? This committee should review and employ new strategies so that that element of not perusing the security budget should be removed so that Parliament and the citizens of Kenya can question how much money has been spent. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, when I was the Minister for Tourism, Kenya Airways used to carry four million people from West Africa who we used to cage at the airport because we thought they would cause insecurity in the country, but the same people from West Africa would go to countries like Dubai and stay there for a week, spend their money and go back to their countries. What we need to do in this country is to spend the money towards making sure that we build the capacity in surveillance so that an individual can be tracked. In so many countries including our neighbouring countries wherever you go, you can be tracked. If you go to Tanzania and Uganda, you will notice that you are being trailed by security agents. In Kenya, we have legislation and the rules, but there is laxity for purposes of people, maybe to make money. We need also to look at corruption, because it is a big monster in this country. Unless we deal with corruption head-on, we might not be able to address insecurity in this country. How is the budget spent? Is the equipment which is bought second-hand? Unless we investigate that, we could keep on even doubling the budget because of insecurity, but then find no improvement in terms of combating insecurity. Therefore, it is important and prudent that surveillance equipment is in place for our security agencies. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we also need to make use of modern technology. We cannot be going around with walkie-talkies. That is an outdated mode of communication for the police. We need to have modern technology where you do not even have to notice a policeman on the road communicating. Through technology and retraining of our police force, we can combat insecurity which is making so many investors evade coming to 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."
}