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{
    "id": 497058,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/497058/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 297,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Gikaria",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2489,
        "legal_name": "David Gikaria",
        "slug": "david-gikaria"
    },
    "content": "Bill. The mandate that the Cabinet Secretary has been given for compulsory acquisition of land is very important. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, there was a time when somebody wanted to poison the water towers in Nakuru and because of that people did not drink or use water for three days. It is important that we keep that area free of any other person who might want to poison the water. It is important for us to give the Cabinet Secretary that mandate so that he can compulsorily acquire some piece of land for purposes of water management. As it has been mentioned earlier the Government is, through the Bill trying to fight the escalating wage bill and you can see, with so many other authorities, committees, boards and all these stuff coming in, how expensive it is. It is important to critically look at whether we require all these authorities and boards so that we can, first of all, manage and secondly to get the benefit of this Bill. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, in Nakuru, as we are talking now, we have a crisis where one of the directors went to court and he was awarded Kshs36 million in compensation, just for being removed from directorship for two months. These courts need to be a little bit careful in what they are doing. The money that is acquired from the water companies is supposed to assist the local mwananchi to get water. But you can see one director was only out of office for two months and he was awarded Kshs36 million. I think the court needs to be a little bit serious as regards issues do with water supply and management. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, if we look at Article 78, it talks about members of a board not holding a public office. This is something that we need to look at, to see whether we can amend it. If we deny public officers, like Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) or Members of Parliament a chance to hold office, it will be an exercise in futility. The directors who will be appointed may not have the interest of a county at heart. They might not have the interest of the Government at heart and they might misuse their powers. I urge that Article 78 be amended. That is something that we need to look at and see whether we can bring amendments before this Bill is fully approved. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the accreditation of water service providers is a good idea. You find some of these service providers, like the ones who sell water in trucks----"
}