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{
    "id": 494479,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/494479/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 308,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Eng.) Gumbo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 24,
        "legal_name": "Nicholas Gumbo",
        "slug": "nicholas-gumbo"
    },
    "content": "House is almost empty. I think sometimes it tends to give a bad picture of how we grade our priorities. However, that be as it may, I think I do not want to go into what others have said. However, I think the question of Ebola preparedness is a worry for all Kenyans and as hon. Mule has rightly put it, this is a national Government function. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, we have heard our people in the medical field complaining how our Ebola preparedness or lack thereof is wanting. I hope when our good friend, hon. Dr. Pukose gets a chance he will probably speak to that point, more being someone qualified in that area. However, be that as it may, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I think the general disaster preparedness of our country is something that should really concern this House. Unknown to many, every year when we do the Budget we build in a lot of provisions for contingencies and contingencies really just mean just that. These are monies that are supposed to help us mitigate the effects of those circumstances that are not entirely predictable in their nature. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, a lot of time we had fire disasters, flood disasters, hunger and all these things that really ought to be within the confines of the national Government. These are things that really ought to be anticipated. These are things that ought to meet an optimal level of disaster preparedness so that they can be confronted and dealt with. I have spoken to the manner in which we as a country tend to list our priorities. It is very sad that even as we now talk of a rebased economy, a lot of Kenyans are now still going down under the ravages of hunger and every year we hold our begging bowls to be able to meet what ordinarily ought to be basics for human life. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, so, I think circumstances such as these should of necessity make us relook at our disaster preparedness in general. How do we hope to contend with these situations? However, more worrying is the laxity that you see even on things that ought to be done. Our borders, and it is a known fact, are very porous. Those of us who live along the lake shore and those of us who have long shorelines along the lake every day worry. You may fortify the airports and the known port entries but what about places like where I come from which has beach frontages and accesses in excess of 40 places?"
}