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{
    "id": 494979,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/494979/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 198,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Gichigi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1909,
        "legal_name": "Samuel Kamunye Gichigi",
        "slug": "samuel-kamunye-gichigi"
    },
    "content": "I also request the Committee to look at the provisions of Clause 138 under which the relevant authority is given powers to declare a crisis of shortage of water. It is also given powers to order a person in whose control a water resource is to provide water to other areas. Reading through that provision, it does not come out clearly that, that person is going to be compensated for the expenses he will incur pursuant to that order. The regulatory authority is given the discretion to determine which part that person can be compensated for. Even on that, he is supposed to get money from selling or charging for that water, yet he will be ordered to incur expenses in installation of certain works. These are some of the things that we need to ensure are corrected. There is also the issue of water harvesting. I have seen that there is an authority that is mandated to take care of this. However, in this country, I do not think that sufficient resources have been granted. I am worried because Kenyans fought for devolution, so that resources can be distributed equitably, not necessarily equally, but equitably. The authorities that we have currently have a very opaque way of determining where they are going to allocate resources. In fact, this is one of the sectors that have seen a lot of historical injustices. In Nyandarua, there is an assumption that since we neighbour the Aberdares, people have water. The truth of the matter is 75 per cent of Kipipiri people do not have piped water, yet we see water going to the neighbouring counties and constituencies. This law should also ensure that there is fair distribution of resources that go to the national authorities. Finally, I urge my able colleague and Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee to look at the number of authorities and see how we can merge a few of them. We should not retain the eight of them. They are too many and duplicate their roles. When you go to the ground, you find that the officers who are supposed to be under the regional water authorities are now with the county governments. This is because water reticulation is now a county function. What are these regional authorities going to be doing? Where are the officers to carry out the work? Where is even the money to do all this? 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."
}