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{
    "id": 479835,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/479835/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 240,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Rop",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1922,
        "legal_name": "Jackson Kipkorir Rop",
        "slug": "jackson-kipkorir-rop"
    },
    "content": "United Arab Emirates and I was surprised to find that a country in a desert was well endowed to take care of its citizens because the Government has invested in mining. So, this corporation will help this country to invest a lot in mining. It will allow this House to give the initial capital so that the corporation can pick from there and start investing. For sure, without minerals, we cannot sustain the livelihoods of our people. We require enormous resources to take care of our citizens. We require as a Government to really invest in mining and do a lot to our citizens. Sections 35 and 36 stipulate the requirements for granting mineral licence. I have listened to Members expressing their fear that investors might take our land without the consent of our people. These sections allow for mineral rights of both private and community land. Before you do anything, you must seek express consent of the owner of the land. Therefore, it clears fears that people might have about being chased away from the community or their land. The Cabinet Secretary in charge cannot acquire the land without the consent of the owner. It is well stipulated in Section 38 (a) and (b) and it gives some conditions. The Cabinet Secretary may take steps to, of course, acquire the land but he must also consider Sections 34, 35, and 36. Therefore, I believe the Cabinet Secretary cannot just wake up and decide that this land belongs to the Government or it must be having minerals and he acquires it. The Act has stipulated very clearly the conditions that the Cabinet Secretary must follow. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I want to also say that the Bill also seeks to enable Kenyans to get employed in this sector because everybody seeks to work. The Bill has allowed Kenyans, under Article 44, to be given preference when it comes to employment. This will help further their skills and capacity-build our citizens. Section 48 of the Bill also gives preference for local products and minerals made in Kenya so that we can have our products being used in the mining sector. We need not be importing products to use. We should have our own local products that can be used to develop this sector. I want to say that he Bill also recognizes what the community can do, under Article 126. The Act gives the right to graze livestock and cultivate the land on the prospecting area so long as you do not interfere with prospecting or mining operations that are taking place. Therefore, this Bill guarantees our people freedom to use that land while the prospecting is going on. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I want to say that this Bill is good and I want to urge my colleagues to support it. I am a Member of the Departmental Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and we participated in developing the Bill. Let us support this Bill, of course, with a few amendments that we have also mentioned; so that we can have a Bill that will help Kenyans benefit from mineral exploration and the mining itself. With those few remarks, I support the Bill."
}