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{
    "id": 445029,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/445029/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 343,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Aden",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 15,
        "legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
        "slug": "aden-duale"
    },
    "content": "Thank you very much, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker for giving me the opportunity to speak to this very important Bill. As an hon. Member who represents a marginalized and often drought affected constituency in the northern part of Kenya, I really want to thank hon. Chachu Ganya for taking the initiative to propose this Bill. Indeed, drought recurs every year in our regions and many parts of Kenya. Unfortunately, as Government we have not had the opportunity to have a very organized system or department empowered by law and tasked or given the mandate to deal with emergences arising from drought. What this Bill suggests is that, indeed, we need to empower the NDMA as it exists right now. Literally, it exists on the mercy of an Executive Order. We need to make it an authority that is given the powers of legislation and mandated under specific legislative proposals so that it is able to perform strategic functions. I also want to say that, indeed, the taskforce that was given the opportunity to review and rationalize Government agencies and parastatals; in its report, finds that NDMA, unlike other Government agencies, is very strategic and one which must stand alone. It must be given more mandates which we are trying to right now because of the role and the part that it plays. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, before NDMA, we used to have something that was called Arid Lands Resource Management Project which existed under the then Ministry of Northern Kenya. Indeed, many of our rural citizens, particularly in the drought affected areas like Balambala Constituency, where I represent, will tell you that the Government needs to bring back a more organized form of ASALs. What these people are begging for is that they get a response that is dedicated to address their suffering. Whenever drought occurs, there is huge loss of livelihoods and animals because most of the unfortunate pastoralists use animals for their lives. There is also loss of human beings. The NDMA in its form right now – I think I am on record in this House and in the media last year when drought struck my constituency and I ran to them for help. They told me, “Sorry, hon. Aden, we have no mandate and we have no resources to help you. All we can do is to collect information and intelligence and advise the Government.” That is not helpful to the people of the regions that are affected by drought. So, what this Bill is trying to say is that NDMA should not exist at the mercy of the Executive. It should be an empowered body by law so that it can manage and control resources among other things. That way, it can be given budgetary allocations and also be able to solicit funds from other donor agencies so that it can respond to emergencies. As I end, I just want to say that this is a very noble Bill. We must support it and I call upon my colleagues to support it because this is going to alleviate the sufferings of many of our drought affected areas in Kenya. It is not only for the pastoralist communities. Indeed, even farmers in the lower Eastern Kenya suffer because of drought and they need the response of an organized agency like an empowered NDMA. Thank you for the opportunity. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}